PTR for Our first holiday trip to our happy place (Nov 30-Dec. 14 2013) Ack! - Page 2 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Just found this!!! Great start!! Looking forward to hearing all your plans - as they are (were) similar to our plans for July 2013 (we are doing split AKL/BLT! and we were going to do Universal for a day, but have decided NOT to).
Going to WDW at the holidays is beautiful!! We were just there the last week of December and it was gorgeous!!
Sorry that your friend is kinda throwing a wrench into your plans. I would check with DVC to see what their recommendation for the switching is - I do know that the 1bdrms seem harder to get - so I would maybe hang onto it for a bit longer - can you maybe give your friend a deadline for final decision? I know it might seem harsh - but it would really stink if you waste points you could have put to use otherwise And even with the dining - so places have you prepay now depending on the venue, so you would want to know for that.
Good luck with the rest of the planning!
__________________
Lisa Co-Guide to Sharing the Adventure: Disney World Trip Reports
Can you keep it for a while and then change it later if it doesn't pan out for her? Or will it be more difficult to get a studio at BLT if you wait? It is a tough decision.
Kim-Yeah, I think that's what we'll do....it would be kind of nice to have a 1br just for me and DH, plus if we have any friends that want to hang out, idk....I'm trying not to think about the 275 points it took to book it!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cam22
Congrats on booking AKLV! Sorry your friend is making it difficult to decide on a room at BLT.
Thanks! It's tough...she's going to nursing school, working and she's a single mom...so I don't want to pressure her too much about it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lfredsbo
Just found this!!! Great start!! Looking forward to hearing all your plans - as they are (were) similar to our plans for July 2013 (we are doing split AKL/BLT! and we were going to do Universal for a day, but have decided NOT to).
Going to WDW at the holidays is beautiful!! We were just there the last week of December and it was gorgeous!!
Sorry that your friend is kinda throwing a wrench into your plans. I would check with DVC to see what their recommendation for the switching is - I do know that the 1bdrms seem harder to get - so I would maybe hang onto it for a bit longer - can you maybe give your friend a deadline for final decision? I know it might seem harsh - but it would really stink if you waste points you could have put to use otherwise And even with the dining - so places have you prepay now depending on the venue, so you would want to know for that.
Good luck with the rest of the planning!
Hi Lisa!
I'm curious about your decisions about Universal.....would you fill me in as to why you changed your mind etc.? It is pretty expensive from what I've seen...
Yes, I can't wait to see it all decorated! I've been in Nov before and saw the beginnings of some of the decorations and we've been in Jan when they were taking everything down...but we've never seen the CP, or heard the storytellers or experienced the gingerbread house at GF....oh! Or the Osborne lights! LOL...there's so much!
Yeah, I'd love to know by the time we have to book our ADR's...but I don't think she'll know by then as that's like June 3rd and I think her graduation from nursing school is Dec (actually, now I'm wondering how she'll be able to go then...hmmm...but she still hasn't come out and said "no"....).
I haven't even thought of the prepaying for dining!!! Ugh.....I am just now trying to get together a plan and have decided to just plan like it's just me and DH and if she and her DD can come, I'll switch some stuff around....I tried doing it with a plan A and a plan B for those days, but that was making my head swirl.....LOL
__________________
Lori
“I’m in a Disney state of mind……”
Authorized Disney Vacation Planner w/Fairy Godmother Travel For a Pixie Dust Sprinkled Trip!
Lori - our decision came after this most recent trip to the WDW. We were fortunate to take 2 trips this year (oct & dec) both quick - commando style trips (more this last one in Dec) and we didn't really have much relaxing time. We are also DVC members and took full advantage of the Premium Annual Pass deal - which includes the water parks & DQ (which we usually do not spend the extra money to visit - maybe once every other year). So after returning home from the Dec trip and looking over everything - we looked up the cost of Universal - and realized how much that one day was going to cost us - and at the same time, had the opportunity to add a night to our July trip if we paid out of pocket for the room (1bdrm at BLT - which is no slim bill)- which we discovered would be half the cost of 1 day at Universal (when you added the fast pass thing, food, getting there (either renting car or cab), souvies, etc.) - so we figured what we didn't know we were missing, we wouldn't miss. Don't get me wrong, I hope to visit Universal some day - but I am NOT a huge coaster fan - and DH also realized that I would most likely spend most of the day by myself as he and DD love the coasters. So needless to say - we are planning a less commando trip - and using what would have been Universal time to just sit and relax at the resort! sorry for the longggwinded answer!
__________________
Lisa Co-Guide to Sharing the Adventure: Disney World Trip Reports
Ok, I realize I have not updated here for awhile...
I didn't have much to say or update on, so I didn't want to bore you guys.
I have a couple of things (not that exciting, but still part of the planning!) LOL
Anyway, we have decided...(Lisa, you're going to laugh)...NOT to go to Universal! LOL....
I really really want to see the Harry Potter thing, but really Lisa has great points and the more I looked into it, I figured, it's silly to spend all that money etc...I even looked at Sea World, but decided against that as well.
I have found out the Segway tour is no more , so we don't have to worry about that anymore, $, planning time for or booking wise.
Also, I have finally got around to getting close to finalize our plans, and have done the math and I think we're not going with the Deluxe Dining Plan at all. We were maybe going to do it for the second week, but I think we'll do much better just using the TIW card.
What else? Oh yeah! I just booked Regina Hyman who used to be with DPS and took our MK and EPCOT bridal pics to do a session with us at AKL! I'm now waiting to hear back from the person who did my hair and makeup to see if she would be available, otherwise I'll have to go with another company, which I don't really want to do.
I've heard some good things about golf lessons, so am going to find out more about that and try to fit it into the schedule.
I think that's it for now...
I think the next thing is to get our MVMCP tix? I think they come out in May....though I could be wrong..otherwise, it's just saving and saving and refining our plans....(like adding in evening EMH if possible, cause we love doing them!)
Thanks all for reading! Sorry I'm so boring! LOL....
__________________
Lori
“I’m in a Disney state of mind……”
Authorized Disney Vacation Planner w/Fairy Godmother Travel For a Pixie Dust Sprinkled Trip!
Last edited by Lorelei528; 02-26-2013 at 10:52 AM..
As somebody else at the 9 months out mark I can understand why plans are not fully finalized as yet. Come May we too are looking at purchase of MVMCP tics so I understand that one completely. And you are not alone in disappointment about EPCOT Segway tour I was really looking forward to doing that this year
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Bummer on the things not to be, but a photo shoot is exciting!
I think DVC offers a discount on golf lessons - check out the member site under perks I believe.
As somebody else at the 9 months out mark I can understand why plans are not fully finalized as yet. Come May we too are looking at purchase of MVMCP tics so I understand that one completely. And you are not alone in disappointment about EPCOT Segway tour I was really looking forward to doing that this year
Ok, I've been working and working and things are beginning to gel...how are your plans coming along Mike?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cam22
I can't wait to see the photos from your session at AK.
As it turns out, as of now, our photo shoot will be at AKL, not AK...still hoping we can swing AK, but our photographer is waiting to hear back from Guest Services I think...Disney is always changing their policies on photography...they just made a HUGE change as far as wedding photography in the park goes, so we'll see. We already did photos at AKL, but I didn't love the way they came out, good but not great, you know?
Quote:
Originally Posted by lfredsbo
Lol, we are doing Seaworld for 1 day....but we also added 2 days to our trip!
DH is super bummed about the Segway tour as well!
LOL...how long is your trip? We do have plenty of time with a 2 weeker, but idk....I think it's more about the $ than anything else..we'll get to Universal eventually I guess!
Quote:
Originally Posted by OhToodles!
Bummer on the things not to be, but a photo shoot is exciting!
I think DVC offers a discount on golf lessons - check out the member site under perks I believe.
Yep, they do! I still haven't called about the lessons to get more info, I figure we have plenty of time....I'm not 100% on it really, but would like to go at least once...
So, here's an update....
Yesterday I bought our AP's for our trip via DVC. We'll use them for this trip and our NOV. 2014 trip. I also went ahead and bookd our flights. They were a bit higher than I wanted to spend, but we're flying out the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend, so I know that hurts us. We did have almost a $300 credit with JetBlue, so that's what we like to fly anyway. We fly in very early and it's a nonstop right from the Westchester County airport!
I have all my ADR's picked out...now just to wait to make them! LOL...
Here's what I have:
Day of arrival - lunch at Via Napoli (a first for us)
Dinner at Marakkesh (a tradition for us)
Breakfasts to include:
Chef Mickey
O'hana
Kona Cafe
Akershus
BOMA
Crystal Palace
Lunches to include:
Be Our Guest
Plaza (new for DH)
Biergarten
Kona Cafe
Chefs de France
Dinners:
Teppan Edo
Monsieur Paul
Be Our Guest
Artist Point
Luau (DH has never been!)
Citrico's (new for us!)
Cali Grill (new for us!)
BOMA
La Hacienda (new for us!)
Jiko
San Angel Inn
Yachtsman Steakhouse
Narcoossee's
Ok, I think I've bored you all enough for now! LOL.....next up I guess is buy our MVMCP tix and booking all ADR's including the CP and Luau and booking WAT!! Eek...that's a lot! LOL.
Thanks all for reading along!
__________________
Lori
“I’m in a Disney state of mind……”
Authorized Disney Vacation Planner w/Fairy Godmother Travel For a Pixie Dust Sprinkled Trip!
Plans are sounding great. We will be arriving a few days after you, our reservations are opposite of yours we are booked AKV-Kidani and then scheduled to move to BLT. We are hoping to change our BLT to OKW at 7 months to save points. We are taking my parents so we are booked for 2-bedroom at both locations.
Waiting to look over dining options with my parents to finalize where we will dine. We have also looked at both dining plan and TIW and have decided we will go with TIW as we know at a minimum our dinners will include alcohol.
Thanks! Ah! I wish we could extend our trip! LOL....I guess we'll get to Uni one day!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shari2137
Plans are sounding great. We will be arriving a few days after you, our reservations are opposite of yours we are booked AKV-Kidani and then scheduled to move to BLT. We are hoping to change our BLT to OKW at 7 months to save points. We are taking my parents so we are booked for 2-bedroom at both locations.
Waiting to look over dining options with my parents to finalize where we will dine. We have also looked at both dining plan and TIW and have decided we will go with TIW as we know at a minimum our dinners will include alcohol.
Good luck on your photo shoot.
Thanks! I think there will be a bunch of PPers there then. I' waiting to see if anyone is going to plan a meetup. I've gone to a few and planned a couple. We haven't stayed at OKW yet, I know the rooms are HUGE, which is nice. I've been in the 2br at BLT when we took my mom, it was fantastic! I LOVED the living room area! (But I love the whole modern design aesthetic). The windows were great, just a nice airy open room. Have you stayed at OKW before? Are you DVC? If so, what's your home resort?
OOH! I love picking out the dining!! One of the best parts of planning IMHO. YES! I love that we can get 20% off of wine or drinks! (Not that we drink that much, LOL) but we do have a couple a day/night usually). PLUS I find not only does the Dining Plan not include alcohol, but I find we have to tip more $ when we're on it, because, though I know we don't have to, we always end up ordering two appys, two entrees and two desserts (cause we get the Deluxe, when we get it).....sometimes we don't even want all that food, but we order it, because we figure it's included and then the tip ends up being way higher than if we just picked what we wanted to eat paying OOP. (ie. sharing a dessert or appy, skipping appys or desserts entirely etc.)
I'm excited about our photo shoot! Regina Hyman is booked and she did our MK and EPCOT wedding portraits and we love her work, plus she is SO sweet!
Ok, the only news I have is......because I realized our second choice of a night for a BOG dinner is a night of MVMCP (and is also the day we're doing our photo shoot at 5pm), we can't do dinner at BOG that night....so I'm left with only one chance, which is the third night we get there so I'm not sure of our chances of getting it. Worst comes to worst, we skip it, do lunch this trip and try for dinner in NOV of 2014!
Anyway, since BOG is out the night of the photoshoot...I was trying to think of places that were special since we'll be kind of dressed up and I'll have my hair and makeup done....
I've decided on Bluezoo!! The menu looks FANTASTIC and some good friends of mine love it there. I don't think I have ever heard a bad review honestly. And it has been on our list of places to try...
Due to the BOG situation, we might end up skipping Citrico's. (If we get BOG on the night we want, we'll eat at Artist Point, if we don't get it, we'll eat at Artist Point that night and Citrico's the other) I know this might not make sense if you're not looking at my Excel sheet, LOL....but it's kind of up in the air until I book our ADR's on June 3rd! (I think that's our date, I still have to call Dining to confirm)...
Whew! That's it for now, thanks for following along! Back to the saving $ now....LOL
__________________
Lori
“I’m in a Disney state of mind……”
Authorized Disney Vacation Planner w/Fairy Godmother Travel For a Pixie Dust Sprinkled Trip!
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And even with the dining - so places have you prepay now depending on the venue, so you would want to know for that.
sorry for the longggwinded answer!
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