Augh!
 

Darn these Disney ads on FT! They're starting to infect me with an insane desire to go to Disney World. Augh! I don't know how much longer I can resist!!!

GG

:D :D :D

Well, for some more temptation, if you add yourself to their mailing lists, they have some really nice specials they may send you that contains a pin code in order to use. Mine is for 40% off any hotel and is good until the end of the year.

Even the general public has 40% off some hotels, and if you select a more expensive hotel, is actually a much better deal than getting the free dining package.

Check www.mousesavers.com for all the specials.

As well, they just brought back the Main Street Electrical parade for a limited run until mid August.


Tempted some more? :D

LA LA LA LA LA I can't heeeeeear you! LOL

Actually, the hubster and I were contemplating surprising the kids with a jaunt down to WDW this summer, but it would have to be in August and the idea of that weather is giving me serious pause. Thoughts?

GG

Expect hot and humid... very humid and, well, pretty hot. I just came back from a quick 5 day trip and had forgotten just how humid it could get.

But, the parks are all open very late, so it's no big deal to hang at the pool during the afternoon and then go out for the evening/night. I saw plenty of people with young children going out to a parka at 9pm (when it closed at 2 or 3 am). I would bet they all slept away the afternoon :D

I know that we were able to get on every single ride we wanted in a matter of 2-3 hours at night.

Take those fingers out of your ears and start calling for reservatons :)

OH, the MSEP ends its run on 8/14, if it matters to you. I may fly down for 1 night just to see it again.

Good points. I'll bet the kids would really enjoy hanging out at the pool or water parks during the afternoons. Hmmmm.....

We were there last summer August 16th to 25th.. we didn't find it too overly hot.. Our second time to WDW, and our 6th time to Florida. Strategies for cool down is sit in front of fan with water spray.. sit inside air conditioned restaurants for a break. Lot of rides you can wait indoors during the hot weather, the rides you wait outdoors can be done at night as well. Take advantage of early morning entries and late night closings. If you're staying on the resort, then you'll have access before opening and after closing on certain parks each day.

I would max out value, and go at least 8 days, that way you aren't in a rush. If you got young kids like we do, its' good to book some extra time to go to the water park, or dip at the hotel pools part of the day. We found that the Disney Dining Plan snacks came in handy for a nice cool down for everyone including Grandma.

Great strategies, Ancien Maestro, thanks! I can't imagine going to Disney for less than a week for the first time with the kids. These are, actually, my stepchildren who are from the UK and have always dreamt of Disney, but have never gone.

There are many places on earth that are magical, of course, but despite the marketing hype and product sales and other stuff, I have to say that Disney is a unique and special place that holds a magic like no other place I've ever been. Maybe it's the magic of wonderful customer service, lots of ambiance-filled fun, a safe and clean environment, or maybe it's all of that put together with something more.

And the idea of seeing the kids' faces when they walk into the Magic Kingdom for the first time....well, it'll be as priceless as when I saw their father's face when I took him to Disneyland when we happened to be in LA a couple of years ago. With lunch at Club 33, that was a pretty extraordinary day, but I have a feeling taking the kids to WDW just might top it. :)

Thanks,
GG

You just spurred me on an I just booked a quick trip down in July to see the MSEP before it's gone again. Will be staying at the Contemporary this time so we can walk to the park. Having a 40% off pin code that's good all year is also helping matters :)

Yes, I'm sick :p

Let me know if you want any hint/tips. Gladly do it via PM if you'd like. Good to see you back on the boards again!

Okay, so now I'm looking at these 40% off packages and I'm totally WOWED! These are fantastic deals! Criminey, the banner ads are gonna get me yet. LOL

So...let's talk resorts. As a Marriott timeshare owner (inherited, not purchased), I haven't stayed in a hotel for this kind of vacation in years and years. But since I've already traded in my weeks for Marriott Reward points and have those points earmarked for something else, I'm thinking that I might just enjoy staying in a Disney resort for the first time since I was a kid.

After careful analysis (and viewing our Disney vacation DVD, LOL), and with the discounts, I think a deluxe resort is do-able. After watching the video, the hubster is partial to the Polynesian, and I have to confess that being close to the monorail would be a bonus for me. We'll have a rental car either way, but I like the idea of being so close to either the monorail or that entrance to Epcot by the Boardwalk and Beach Club, but I realize that limits our choices.

I have a memory of being 6 years old and having the most amazing key lime pie at the Polynesian...it's just kind of a cool memory. Still, the Polynesian is pretty old school...anybody been there recently?

GG

I knew they'd get ya :)

You will, and your life will be easier if you have young kids.

It's probably the best located resort for access to both the Magic Kingdom and Epcot. Not only will you have monorail access to the MK, but there is also a small boat that goes between the hotel dock and the MK, saving you bunches of aggravation if you're there at park closing time. You can also walk to the transportation and ticket center (TTC) to get on the monorail to Epcot. This saves you taking the local hotel monorail to the TTC and then changing to the epcot monorail. I'm not all that crazy about the Yacht/Beach Clubs, but will stay there if it's more convenient to do so. It basically depends what you want to do. As well, Epcot is only open really late 1 or 2 nights per week, and the MK is open late almost every night.

They still serve it :) It's not really old school. I was there a little more than a year ago for a week. The rooms have all been remodeled, and they still have the south pacific theme. The pool is also completely redone and now has a slide.

Other necessary questions:
- Bug-phobic here, so what's the bug situation in August? What can I anticipate? Will it be pretty painful for me? LOL

- Is it better to buy tickets in a package with the hotel or find a discount ticket location?

As long as you're on Disney property, you should be pretty bug free except for the geckos. Disney regularly sprays for mosquitoes. I'm a magnet, and almost never get a bite when I'm there.

Depends on what/how you're booking. Are you getting a package? Room only reservation? There are several good discounters, but you're not going to save a whole lot of money. Probably $10-$15 on a week long ticket.

Have you searched Disney's site for specials? This year, if you're looking at specials, it is actually a better deal to use the 40% off deluxe rooms than to get the dining plan. Look at www.mousesavers.com for the code you need to use to get that 40% off. If you can believe it, the specials are easier to find on mousesavers than to use disney's site. You also may be better off calling reservations than using the website.

Make sure you subscribe to mousesaver's newsletter as there will be a link in it to get an additional discount on tickets from Undercover tourist. It goes out around the 15th of the month, so sign up quickly. If you want, I can email you last month's when I get home.

I'll also be glad to review what you've come up with to make sure you're getting the best deal possible for what you're looking to do/spend. It's a hobby of mine :)

I clicked on one of the banners on FT and it took me directly to the Disney booking site, where they're offering the 40% off without a code!

I checked out packages with hotel and tickets without the dining package. I'm a big fan of the timeshares because of the kitchens - this allows us to eat many meals at "home." Mealtime, even the cooking of it, is something we enjoy as a family and we save a small fortune. Plus, there are some restaurants outside Disney that we might enjoy, like Cafe Tu Tu Tango, a personal fave.

I was looking at Saratoga Springs - thoughts on that versus Old Key West? Kinda like the idea of being close to the water parks, too.

Only problem with Disney: far too many choices! Geez, it's overwhelming!!

Thanks for all your help, btw. This is awesome!

:)
GG

Both of those DVC units are pretty far from the Magic Kingdom and far from Epcot. Saratoga Springs is the old Disney Village (or Institute) and it's the furthest from anything. I don't know how old your kids are, so it's hard for me to guess where you'd want to spend most of your time.

The best DVC units near parks are in this order:
Bay Lake Tower at the Contemporary resort (walk to the MK)
Wilderness Villas at the Wilderness Lodge (boat to the MK)
Beach Club Villas at the Beach Club (walk to Epcot)
Boardwalk Villas at the Boardwalk (walk to Epcot)
All others with the units at the Animal Kingdom and Saratoga Springs being the furthest from anything (except the Animal Kingdom)

There are also Cabins at Ft. Wilderness with full kitchens. Actually, they're more like having your own home. It's fully detached, has a deck, picnic table, and grill. You pull up to it to park. We've stayed there several times and enjoyed the heck out of it, since there's so much to do at Ft. Wilderness. There's also a boat that takes you to the MK. They are also substantially less expensive than the DVC units.

If you decide on any of the units with kitchens, I have a great grocery delivery service you can use. Send them your list, and they deliver on the day and time you'd like. It's more like a personal shopping service and the delivery fee is based on how much you spend and is reasonable.

Ohh, the Institute...I remember when I first saw the video that talked about that. I wanted to go so badly, but was a poor grad student at the time. By the time I could afford to go, they'd stopped offering those snazzy classes. Phooey!

11 and 13. They're obsessed with pools when we travel, so I anticipate we'll spend a lot of time in the on-site pool as well as at the water parks.

I've always thought I wouldn't want to stay in those, but with the kids, I'm not sure. I'll take a peek.

Bless you. :)

We stayed a few times and took the classes. They were really fun!

Almost all the hotels have upgraded pools now. At a minimum, they all have slides, with the pool at the Yacht/Beach club being the best.

Why? They aren't any different than the DVC units. Maid service, a dishwasher, etc :) Home should be so good :) They are a bit rustic, as is Ft. Wilderness, but it's part of the theme. The kids may enjoy it.

My pleasure. No need to waste your time in an unfamiliar grocery store when, if you have good meal planning abilities, can make a list and have everything delivered.

Argh! The WDW booking system won't give me any villas. I try to get into Bay Tower and it gives me a studio. I want a separate bedroom (or at least pull-out couch) for the kids, and a full kitchen or at least a kitchenette so we can cook. Hmmmm. I've tried alternate dates...is there some secret to this, or do you think the villas are just not available in August?

I've heard that the availablility for 1 bedrooms isn't all that great. It's barely open a year, so I think everyone is running to try it out.

You might be better off just calling them to see if you can get anything at all.

A trick I've learned is to have them book you into whatever dates they have for your stay, and then call every morning to see if more days have opened up. That method has never failed me. The downside is they're going to take 1 night deposit for each reservation you make, but will refund it when you piece it all together. Just make sure you ask.

I take it you're going after 8/14? If so, that's when low season starts, and that's why you're getting the 40% off without a code. Good for you!!!!

I have to go to a meeting and will be gone for about an hour ;)

Yeah, I think after 8/14 will work better for us. I may call and see what I can get. :) For the moment, I'm having a great time looking at the possibilities....however overwhelming they might be.

I'm baaaack..

Planning is half the fun :D

Agreed! :)

It was definitely plenty of fun for our then 3 year old.. we're planning WDW maybe for next summer.. that or Egypt or Europe.. Maui/BI next spring break when my oldest is on Spring Break. IMHO.. everyone in my sons class pretty much been to WDL, WDW, Disney Cruises.. even last spring break there was 3 families just in my sons class that went to Disney.

Looks like you're getting excited.. something must be bringing Mary2e back to WDW 50 times.. I gather she must be really excited too. I'm green to Disney, 5 times between WDW and WDL.. but definitely looking forward for my next time out.

Regarding Villas at Contemporary Tower.. I would try isolating some dates.. sometimes there is one or two days that completely block out entire reservations I find. For example, we rented Fort Wilderness Cabins, and it was sold out that 1st day.. I was able to salvage a 9 night stay, getting around that first night.. I booked the 8 nights, and added the last night when there was a cancellation. IMO.. you'll be too busy on the resort to really care much about the room too much. That's why we did Fort Wilderness, because it was $240 per night.. we slept and went to the parks 12 hours at a time.. didn't even have time to use the pool once at Fort Wilderness.. that's because you'll be so immersed in so much to do, that you won't have time to plan or think. Reserve the good restaurants ahead of time if you're on the Disney Dining Plan.. Ohana's is pretty much 90 days ahead, Le Cellier 90 days ahead, Chef Mickeys' at Contemporary.. good luck.. Magic Kingdom Castle is a bit busy, photo ops with princesses.. Princess Akershus at Norway Pavilion.. we also did 1900 Park Fare for supper.. hard to book during the end of summer season. Book ahead, get free family picture and photo opps with the Princesses.

I've got a home automation system (Control 4/Rhapsody) that brings up all of the Disney songs, albums, etc.. Pretty can play throughout house, one room, any and all combinations.. through TVs, speakers.. totally immersive experience. Otherwise we would have to go more often to Disney.. hard to do as we live in Canada.

Edit: We pre-ordered groceries and had it delivered to the cabin last time out. Garden Grocers I think will do a free delivery if the order is over $200 (don't quote me on this). The cabins were perfect as it sleeps six, has a kitchen, and lots of room and peace.. not that we stayed in the room much.

We also went after the August 14th date last year.. low season, but still summer break.. excellent time to go to take advantage of the low season deals, during the kids summer break. We didn't even rent a vehicle.. save hundreds$$$ not having a vehicle.. WDW will transfer you to the resort no charge when you book with their Travel Company. If you plan to visit Universal, Cape Canaveral, Sea World, etc.. you'll need a vehicle. We stayed the entire 9 nights at WDW, didn't do water parks, or pool at all (just went to Maui and BI for 22 nights.. and everyday we were in the pool).. there is that much to do in Disney World!

DVC except maybe for Saratoga and OKW and possibly Animal Kingdom is going to be hard/impossible to get in the time frame you are contemplating, only a couple months in advance. (I'm a longtime DVC member).

You need at least a 1-BR to get a kitchen. The "kitchenette" of a studio is just a sink, microwave, and small fridge.

If there is availability at DVC through a member you might save some money renting points. Members and Disney itself should have differing availability.

I dislike BLT somewhat for its higher point requirements and its somewhat sterile design. The "bathroom" sink in the kitchen strikes me as pretty odd, too. Old Key West suits me best, with lower rates, bigger rooms (2 queens in a studio), and parking at the door.

As for rental cars, we just were in The World last week and had a midsize car for $110 a week plus taxes/fees from Alamo, and got 2 WN RR credits. Hard to beat that.

Love having a car for trips to the outlet mall, offsite restaurants, Wal-Mart for food and necessities (beer is regular price, not $132 a case [$5.50 each] as it is in the little gift shops), and even Universal. Plus we were hotel hopping at Hilton and piled up the free rooms (no DVC this time).

As much as I would love to stay on-property, given our time constraints and our current situation, I'm thinking that we may have to just stay at one of the Marriott properties nearby. My planning is temporarily on pause, but I'll be back later for some much-needed guidance and advice. :)

Thanks!
GG

Does Old Key West undergo regular renovations? I saw the option pop up a bunch of times, and seems quite available. What's the catch with OKW compared to other DVC properties? OKW has one bedrooms too I think?