For Fun...Pricing for a "maybe" April trip

[linanglab]

I thought I would start pricing out a trip for our possible April trip to WDW. I am hoping that if we go, it will be AFTER the 19th, since anytime before that is expensive season (that is not what they call it, but what I call it).

My room for about 7 days would be around $780, without my AAA discount. That is for Pop. I had wanted to stay at Movies and priced that out, but there is no standard room availability, as with music too. Do they not have standard at those values anymore? I know I have priced them in the past, and it was the same thing. Not standard room options.

I am in no way ready to book, since I have no idea if we will go AND have no idea WHEN I would go.

Anyway, hoping that we can go since it would be during the flower and garden thing. I have always wanted to see those beautiful flowery statues.

[pbhall13]

oh angela this is fun!

Dont forget that since it is just you and dd you could consider renting points for a studio (it is cheaper to stay Sunday night and check out on a friday) for part of your stay....

So if you arrive on a friday I would stay that friday night and saturday night at an Allstar or Pop and then switch over to a studio at Old Key West and for five nights it would be 55 points...most people rent them for $10 a point so that would be $550 dollars.........and then you could do the meal plan for those days (since it is only an adult and child) and that would cost 244.90 for the 2 of you (1 TS, 1 CS, and one snack option)......you could pick those restauarants you always wanted to try but when you are paying for 5 people it becomes too outrageous! (the meal plan I priced out would only be for sunday to friday)........I think that is pretty reasonable.......you could do breakfast and or snacks in room since you would have a mini kitchen (microwave, small fridge, toaster, dishes).........and with DVC point rental you can buy your tickets seperately and not be obligated to buy a whole package deal.

You did mention that you were going to buy AP's for this trip, since you would be going in the summer anyways (so technically I would not count ticket prices into the equation...don't you just love my math :D)

and you could save on car rental if it is just you and Bethany (I know you usually rent a vehicle).........

you could easily do this trip for $1000 AND have the meal plan (okay I know that I did not include airfare!)

What dates are you thinking? Do you have to plan it around April vacation (or will you kids already be out of school?)

Pamela


ps...can you tell I love this stuff!!!!

[linanglab]

I know! The pre planning for the planning is sort of fun!

Dh and the boys may go on a navy ship for a week in April (our nephew is in the navy on the Rooseevelt)- the date is up in the air. If they do go, I WILL go to WDW with Bethany. All the kids will be taken out of school for these events. I am a bit worried about Linden missing school because he is in 8th grade, but going on a navy ship, living like the sailors, is a once in a lifetime opportunity, so they will miss school. I do think that the teachers will be understanding under the circumstances. Since they are having fun and missing school, I thought Bethany and I will also do the same at our favorite place - WDW!

If we go in April for sure, then I will definitely buy AP's for the 2 of us. (Thinking if I do this, then maybe a trip for the SR meet in October may be a go!) When I priced the flight through Disney, it was anywhere from 350-400. I thought that was reasonable. That is what we normally pay - about $200 each for the roundtrip.

Now...where do I purchase AP's? I heard you can purchase them at the airport? Did I hear that wrong? How much are they? Are kids and adults 2 different prices?

I did not even think about renting points for just me and her. The prices for the values are $120-$130 a night, which I thought was high. That is what it usually is when we go in July. If we go in early April, well....I might as well not even go. That is EXTREMEMLY high for hotel because of Easter and Spring breaks.

We definitely will use Disney transportation. I could not even ATTEMPT to drive around Orlando. That would be crazy. Do not have the best sense of direction.

the dining plan is up in the air. I could get it and really enjoy not worrying about how much money I am spending, OR I do NOT get it, and be Mrs. Frugality and buy a double cheesburger with an extra bun EVERY time I order, and then have a grumpy DD because you can only have so many burgers.

[pbhall13]

Okay from the official disney site this is the pricing for APs:

Annual Pass (Ages 10 and Over) $469.00
Annual Pass (Ages 3-9) $414.00

As for the meal plan..........you could get away with doing a burger, but that right there will cost you with a double cheeseburger and 2 drinks about $15....and that is only one meal for the day.....spend $50 per day on meal plan and you get so much more........why not make it worth your wild.....when are you only going to have to pay for the dining plan for you and just one child!!! You could hit all the place you wanted!! And to pay for the dining plan why not use surveys as your extra for that.......promise yourself that all your earnings from Jan Feb March will go towards the meal plan....if you attempt all 3 per day (I know that can be a long shot, but imagine if you get 20 days a month with those odds) Your dining plan could be paid for and it won't 'hurt' so much!


again..........I highly recommend renting points..........the studio at OKW has 2 queen beds.........beautiful grounds and you would pay aboutr 110 a night during that time (don't forget...no FL tax, etc)

I would seriously consider that......the room is so much bigger and for the same price or less I would take it over a value (nothing against value, but I do like the queen size bed as opposed to double)

Some food for thought

pamela

[Magical JenK]

You did mention that you were going to buy AP's for this trip, since you would be going in the summer anyways (so technically I would not count ticket prices into the equation...don't you just love my math :D)

Pam- you & I went to the same school! That's how I TOTALLY justified this our APs!! I mean, I was going to buy tickets for December anyway!! The extra money just doesn't count!! Plus, I did get enough back changing our December tix to base tix (due to the room/package disct) to pay for almost 1 of the APs!!

Ang-
Listen to Pam...she makes Disneysense!

[Magical JenK]

Ok, Ang, the girl is making total Disneysense! I'm buying our APs today!! Yipppee! When you buy them anywhere other than a ticket gate at the park, you will get a voucher that you turn into the ticket gate or a customer service at DTD. The day you turn your voucher into the AP is the date your AP becomes activated. You could buy them at the Disney stores at MCO, but you could also buy them on Disney.com or through some TAs (like Dreams Unlimited)....even can call Disney ticketing & buy them over the phone.

I may buy them over the phone because then I can buy the discounted MNSSHP tix too...there are AP discounts for so many things. I'll go find the sites I was on today so you can reference. I really think if you go in April you & Bethany should for sure have APs. Then of course you can do the Oct meet. http://allears.net/pl/apass.htm

And for renting points, check out this calculator...it will tell you how many points you need to rent for your stay at each of the DVC resorts. http://www.wdwinfo.com/resort/dvcpoint.cfm A lot of weeknights are 8 pts...so that would be $80/night!! That's quite a savings!! I'd for sure suggest looking into it. I found OKW & SSR have the lowest point rates, but know it's totally what is available at the time of your booking.

Oh & another thing...when you're an AP holder, you can get the Disney Dining Experience card (DDE), which will save you 20% at most table & counter service stations! It does cost $60 (already discounted for AP holders), but it could EASILY pay for itself when you & your fam go in July!! Here are a list of restaurants that take the DDE. http://allears.net/din/dde.htm#list Oh but just a note...you wouldn't do the DDE & the DDP because it doesn't make much sense to discount a meal you've technically already paid for you know? HOWEVER, the DDE does include a discount on liquor drinks...so that's nice...So in April, you may want to price out the DDE savings vs the DDP on where you'd want to eat. Just a thought...

I love planning!! Have fun & keep us posted!!

[disney_girl]

With AP's you also get 10% off at World of Disney:angel:.

Definitely look into the DDE to see if that would be beneficial to your family for both trips! We purchased it with the AP discount for our trip last September. We also used in this past May and because it doesn't expire until the end of October this year, we'll be able to use it a 3rd time in October. There are a lot of places that you can get the 20% off at and for us it is totally worth it!

Planning is so much fun!!

[Magical JenK]

Oh sorry...just noticed the 2009 calculator isn't out yet. However the points must be somewhere...let me look....

[Magical JenK]

Ok here...it's not nearly as fun as you have to calculate it yourself, but here are the 2009 points too! http://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-vacation-club/OKW-Points.shtml

[andrea2289]

Can you do the meal plan when renting points? I didn't think you could because it had to be rolled into a package? If you can, I would definately consider this!! I need to sleep 6 when we go in 2009 and am trying to find the most affordable way to do it! (being big foodies, we love the dining plan!!)

[disney_girl]

DVC members can get the Dining Plan now. I would think that would still apply if you are renting points- the owner would just add the dining to your reservation? I have never done the point rental bit so I'm not positive how it all works. The DVC site has the 2008 Dining plan at $37.99/ adult and $9.99/child. It has to be added to your reservations at least 48 hours prior to your trip and must be added for all people on the reservation.

[andrea2289]

Awesome! I need to look into that then. We want to go over MLK weekend (Jan 16-21 2009). I will have 6 people all over 17 so they are all adults. I wanted to rent points a couple years ago but I couldn't get the dining plan then so this is awesome! :cooldance:

[disney_girl]

I looked on the DVC Member page at the point charts for 2009 and it looks like for April 19-30, the points for a studio are

Saratoga Sun-Thu 13 Fri-Sat 29
OKW Sun-Thu 11 Fri-Sat 27
WL Sun-Thu 14 Fri-Sat 32

That time period shows up under DVC's "Magic" season.

[pbhall13]

Andrea........

you definately CAN get the dining plan when renting points...I always do (well since they started offering it to DVC a couple years ago). It is a great deal.....sad that now you have to pay for tip OOP, but still for us it is a good deal since we do 1 TS per day!

pamela

[wilsonfamily4]

I love renting points. I love SSR as well. And you can still get the Dining plan and still get the Magic Express, ME, so you still get some Disney perks. I think you should look into that seriously Angela!

[linanglab]

I checked into the APs. If I were to get NO AP, I would spend $642.04 for a 10 day and a 6 day pass total for an adult. Then I would spend $467.48 for Bethany's. So the AP will defnitely save me money. Exactly $53 for Bethany and about $175 for me. Now with the AP, can you park hop just like someone who purchases a park hopper?

[disney_girl]

Yep- you get "unlimited access" so you can essentially park hop! Makes it even better, huh?? I think Pamela or Jen mentioned it before, but you can also get discounts on certain nights of the parties (MNSSHP and MVMCP).

[Magical JenK]

I checked into the APs. If I were to get NO AP, I would spend $642.04 for a 10 day and a 6 day pass total for an adult. Then I would spend $467.48 for Bethany's. So the AP will defnitely save me money. Exactly $53 for Bethany and about $175 for me. Now with the AP, can you park hop just like someone who purchases a park hopper?

Yep it's like the ultimate PH!! The only thing you can't do is go to the water parks or Disney Quest...unless you get the Premium AP....

[linanglab]

Yep it's like the ultimate PH!! The only thing you can't do is go to the water parks or Disney Quest...unless you get the Premium AP....

Oh good! I do not need the water parks or Disney Quest. Someday we will do water parks, but not this year. I almost have enough in my Disney fund to buy 1 AP. I have been saving all my change from waitressing. It really adds up! Once January comes around, and we know if DH and the boys will be going on the ship, I can purchase 1 - probably both - AP's. YEAH!

[wilsonfamily4]

What fun Angela. I am always thinking hmm, could we do a trip this month, or could Alicia and I go this time. But I never actually follow through. I hope you get to go!

[bbangel]

Angela, the only difficulty you may have in renting points is availability at the resorts you want. The sooner you know dates the better as far as that is concerned.

I did an AP this year since I knew I was doing 2 trips and I love it! I don't have to plan to maximize the days I spend in the parks and can go the night I arrive or for a dinner in the park if I want to.