10 for 10 in 2010 – Our Joyous January Journey Pre-Trip Report - UPDATED 1/20 - Page 3 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Hi everyone, sorry I've been MIA for a few days -- I had a bit of a "planning meltdown" earlier this week . Sooo, does this happen to anyone else -- you think your plans are all settled and they you start to question everything?? Please tell me I'm not alone. Here's a long-winded re-telling of my week.
First I started questioning our hotel choice. (I'm an admitted resort-decision flip-flopper so this is known to happen.) I started thinking about what a great time we had at Poly this year and maybe we should switch our reservation to there. Then I started thinking about the BC and how we'd originally planned to stay there next trip (when we were thinking we'd go in April and be able to use the pool every day). And then I just went off the edge and started considering like every hotel possible -- "maybe we should try AKL for the first time or what about the Contemporary, that looks cool, or maybe we should switch to a mod and save a bundle, or maybe, or maybe." You see where this is going?? My poor DH was like every time I mentioned the trip. So finally after doing a pro-con-pro list together we realized that a Monorail resort is right for us for this trip and we also realized that it's good to try new things so yes, let's stick with GF. Yay, one decision made!
With that settled, something was still nagging at me and I couldn't put my finger on it. Finally I realized I was worried about the number of days we were taking DD out of school. Last month she was sick and missed three days of school -- the adjustment back was a little tough on her and I got to thinking that maybe it was better for her to go back to school on a Monday, when everyone is adjusting to being back, than on a Tuesday, which our current plans called for. It was a tough call because that would mean cutting our plans short by a day but it really feels right to me.
So the silver lining --
Since we were cutting a day off the trip we had extra $$ in the budget for something extra special. Hmmmm, off to allears I went to research room types at GF. To my excitement, I found we could switch to Club Level for 7 nights for a few dollars less than what we were already paying for 8 nights garden view. Sold!!!!!!!!
The final vacation-changing decision we made was to drop the DDP. I've gone round and round on this decision anyway, but it makes sense for us now with these changes. We're going to scale back our dining plans a bit, which is fine by my because my (ADR) eyes are always bigger than my stomach.
So the first thing I did this morning was to change our SWA flight to a day earlier. The one bummer was the price went up since yesterday so instead of an even exchange I had to pay an exta $13 per ticket -- not too bad in the grand scheme of things. Right now we're booked on a late morning flight because the afternoon flight is crazy expensive, but if the price on the afternoon flight comes down we plan to switch it. Then I got on the phone with WDW reservations and a very nice CM was able to make the date/room type/drop the DDP change for us no problem. And we still got the 7 for 4 deal, yay!
So wow, if you read all that you're a good sport!!!
Great update! I think with the club level, you'll find you wouldn't have needed the DDP anyway! Sorry you're losing a day, but you can't beat club level!
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Your changes all sound good, I could deal with losing a day if it meant getting to stay club level. Can't wait to hear about your changed dining plans.
Been there, done that. It is tempting to make changes - I think you've made the right decision with the Grand Floridian though.
Thanks! And I'm glad I'm not the only one.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
Great update! I think with the club level, you'll find you wouldn't have needed the DDP anyway! Sorry you're losing a day, but you can't beat club level!
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcc0313
Your changes all sound good, I could deal with losing a day if it meant getting to stay club level. Can't wait to hear about your changed dining plans.
Yes, club level sure makes it easier to lose a day. DH was really leary about shortening the trip but then when I told him the trade-off he was okay with it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lazanya
Just catchin g up on your PTR. Your plans sound great!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Meggera
Club level would be pretty awesome! I think your changes look great.
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With the changes we made to our plans last week, we decided to scale back our dining plans quite a bit. Here's the new plan:
The Plaza (lunch) - last time we ate here was on our first trip together in 1999! Narcoosee’s (dinner) - DH and I have each dined here years ago but never together Kona Cafe (dinner) - new to us Restaurant Marrakesh (dinner) - new to us Sci-Fi (lunch) - did this last trip and loved it 'Ohana (breakfast) - did this last trip
I think we may add another ADR in there since we have one day with no TS but for now I like the idea of leaving one day open.
You'll also notice that we now only have one character meal (and it's not a princess meal ). I know, I know, what about my princess-obsessed dd?? DH and I were talking about it and decided that instead of doing a princess meal we're going to take dd to the BBB at MK and then go over and meet the princesses in ToonTown. Hopefully this will be just as much fun for her. And besides, she hardly eats at the character meals so the actual meal itself definitely isn't the highlight for her. In the past year we've done CRT (twice), Akershus (twice) and dinner at 1900PF so it'll be nice to do something different.
I've decided to take the leap and hand over my ADRs to the IPO. I'm very nervous about this since I'm a bit of a control freak. I hope everything goes smoothly.
In, "aw man, bummer!!" news, remember last week I mentioned that the SWA fares when up overnight and we had to pay extra to move our flights back a day? Yeah, well today I got an email about a SWA sale and found that the price dropped back down. Arg--I got a credit but it would've been nice to not shell out the money to begin with. Oh well. That's what I get for being too nervous to wait!!!
Coming up: Counter service plans
Last edited by WeRDisneyFanatics; 10-13-2009 at 10:11 AM..
Reason: typo
I really think you'll have a great time-January is our traditional month of going, but we're off track since we last went in December 08 to catch all of the C'mas lights. Always gorgeous weather and very tolerable crowds.
I was going to make the suggestion for you to pay OOP for 'Ohana as it's a very reasonable price per person-that's what I usually do and save our TS credits. Then I saw you've dropped the DDP so that little tidbit is useless now.
I hope you all have a wonderful time & can't wait to hear the details when you're home!
Sorry about the airfare, but at least you got a credit. Your ADRs sound great!
Thank you!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jookiba
I really think you'll have a great time-January is our traditional month of going, but we're off track since we last went in December 08 to catch all of the C'mas lights. Always gorgeous weather and very tolerable crowds.
I was going to make the suggestion for you to pay OOP for 'Ohana as it's a very reasonable price per person-that's what I usually do and save our TS credits. Then I saw you've dropped the DDP so that little tidbit is useless now.
I hope you all have a wonderful time & can't wait to hear the details when you're home!
Thanks! I'm looking forward to trying out a longer stay in January. We've had some HOT weather the last two times we've gone in the Spring so I won't mind if it's a little cooler. We were there in December of '08 too!
Quote:
Originally Posted by lazanya
Your ADR's look great!
Thanks!
I sent our planning form off to the IPO this afternoon. Although it was hard to let go part of me likes the feeling of letting someone else handle the legwork.
About This Page: 
, sorry I've been MIA for a few days -- I had a bit of a "planning meltdown" earlier this week 
. Sooo, does this happen to anyone else -- you think your plans are all settled and they you start to question everything?? Please tell me I'm not alone
. Here's a long-winded re-telling of my week.
. To my excitement, I found we could switch to Club Level for 7 nights for a few dollars less than what we were already paying for 8 nights garden view
.
you're a good sport!!!
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Pixie Dust
PassPorter Guide Author
Been there, done that. It is tempting to make changes - I think you've made the right decision with the Grand Floridian though. 
.
. Arg--I got a credit but it would've been nice to not shell out the money to begin with. Oh well. That's what I get for being too nervous to wait!!!
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