ª"˜˜ª¤.¸Official Team August 2013 Thread!¸.¤ª˜˜"ª&#9733

[mrstomrice]

So....for a dreary Friday (at least it is here ) QOTD:

Who has done a preliminary subtotal of your vacation costs? Is it more or less than you thought? Higher or lower than previous trips (if any)?QUOTE]

Our price is hard to determine completely due to the fact our stay is with our DVC points, so here is my best attempt

Airfare for 4: $500. ($99 to Orlando and $100 to buy points to be able to get return flight with points)

DDP: Approx $1000 for 8 nights (not paid for yet but will add before we go. I am buying Disney gift cards from Target with my red card so I am saving 5% so I guess my cost is $950)

Park Tickets: Approx $600 for the value of the Premium Annual Pass bought with the DVC discount. This will be the 3rd week we get out of the passes this calendar year.

Resort: 113 points for DVC I think, so it is hard to determine cost since we are paying the mortgage monthly.
$128 for 1 night stay at AOA LM since we added 1 night.

Dog sitter: 8 days: $160

Night at hotel prior to 6am flight: $125 (includes parking for the week)
Cheaper than OCNJ for a week

 

[Koh1977]

What's the tax on food there? Trying to get a better idea on meal costs OOP.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[momto3gr8boys]

what's the tax on food there? Trying to get a better idea on meal costs oop.

Sent from my ipad using disboards

6.5%

 

[squirrel4569]

What's the tax on food there? Trying to get a better idea on meal costs OOP.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

This can be very handy for that.

Someone has made an Excel spreadsheet that will give rough calculations based on where you are eating, how many people are in your party, what discounts you are eligible for, etc.

http:/www.seeyareelsoon.wix.com/seeyareelsoon

 

[joshsmom]

I hope to meet some other DISers while I'm in the World!! Here are my ADRs:

8/2 50's Prime Time 1:15
8/3 Liberty Tree Tavern 1:00
8/4 Rainforest Cafe Animal Kingdom 6:30
8/5 Le Cellier 12:45
8/6 Hollywood and Vine Fantasmic! Package 3:30
8/7 Crystal Palace 12:50
8/10 Be Our Guest 9:30
8/11 Tusker House Breakfast 8:15
8/12 O'Hana Breakfast 9:25

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Some of our best pictures are from photopass at the waterparks on our first trip!! However, there aren't that many of them, and I don't see the photographers too much. They do stand at the end of the slides but those aren't always the best shots

The boys would love to get some pictures of them coming off the slides . I am more of a lazy river/wave pool gal myself, LOL!

I think I read somewhere that you can pre-order the regular Photopass, then get a refund if you don't get enough good pictures to warrant the purchase. If that's the case, maybe that would be the best way to go. Then we could add our Ohana pictures from our character breakfast if they turn out well, and we opt to purchase the photo package.

Does anyone know if the photos from Planet Hollywood can also be added to Photopass? That sure would be nice.....but I'm guessing not!!

When we were planning our 2009 trip, there were tons of links from people who were doing a Photopass share. Does that still exist?!? Haven't seen those posts in a while.

 

[zabache]

Our trip costs as of right now:

8/2-8/8 @ POR Royal Rooms with 4 day tix, no hopper and dinner plus: $2800
8/1-8/2 @ POR standard room: $178
Thinking of adding Photo Pass + : $150
We're driving down using our own car I'm guessing $160 in gas round trip

We're getting some groceries down there like milk, juice, bread, fruit: $50

I know I have to add miscellaneous stuff.
Forgot to add DD BBB day which is $60 and I have to get her dress.

 

[sktjcox]

My first time on the board but am super excited to be going back for 2nd trip Aug 21-31. First time at Disney was last August and we're hooked. We're booked at POFQ, 2 adults, 2 DS,one 11 one turning 10 while at Disney! We have 10 nights with park hopper/waterpark and dining and came in $6000 - like everyone we are awaiting late summer discounts as we'd like to bring this down any way we can! Willing to move to POR preferred room if we need to for a discount- sometimes FQ is less and fewer rooms avail. Has anyone stayed in AB? Some seem to love, some not so much but those are the only preferred rooms (though I think my boys would like that more than princess rooms! LOL). Since we are in Toronto we also had airfare - our "deal" was $1800 for 4 (already paid). This is a big trip for us so am in hyper planning mode!

 

[lovingeire]

My first time on the board but am super excited to be going back for 2nd trip Aug 21-31. First time at Disney was last August and we're hooked. We're booked at POFQ, 2 adults, 2 DS,one 11 one turning 10 while at Disney! We have 10 nights with park hopper/waterpark and dining and came in $6000 - like everyone we are awaiting late summer discounts as we'd like to bring this down any way we can! Willing to move to POR preferred room if we need to for a discount- sometimes FQ is less and fewer rooms avail. Has anyone stayed in AB? Some seem to love, some not so much but those are the only preferred rooms (though I think my boys would like that more than princess rooms! LOL). Since we are in Toronto we also had airfare - our "deal" was $1800 for 4 (already paid). This is a big trip for us so am in hyper planning mode!

We stayed in AB in December and like it. The resort is large so we were a little far away from the main building to refill our mugs, etc. However, we also checked in at 7:30am and decided to just take the room they had available so that might have had something to do with it as well. We would definitely stay there again though! We liked that we were close to transportation and on another stay we'd request to be closer to everything!

 

[sktjcox]

We stayed in AB in December and like it. The resort is large so we were a little far away from the main building to refill our mugs, etc. However, we also checked in at 7:30am and decided to just take the room they had available so that might have had something to do with it as well. We would definitely stay there again though! We liked that we were close to transportation and on another stay we'd request to be closer to everything!

Thanks! We were at CB in a pirate room last year and definitely want a closer walk,,despite how beautiful the grounds are.

 

[DisMom1981]

Here are the Welcome Gifts we gave the kids in December:

That is so cool!!!!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[pigletto]

My first time on the board but am super excited to be going back for 2nd trip Aug 21-31. First time at Disney was last August and we're hooked. We're booked at POFQ, 2 adults, 2 DS,one 11 one turning 10 while at Disney! We have 10 nights with park hopper/waterpark and dining and came in $6000 - like everyone we are awaiting late summer discounts as we'd like to bring this down any way we can! Willing to move to POR preferred room if we need to for a discount- sometimes FQ is less and fewer rooms avail. Has anyone stayed in AB? Some seem to love, some not so much but those are the only preferred rooms (though I think my boys would like that more than princess rooms! LOL). Since we are in Toronto we also had airfare - our "deal" was $1800 for 4 (already paid). This is a big trip for us so am in hyper planning mode!

I've stayed in the AB rooms. The preferred rooms are in the buildings that are closest to the main building and in a great location. I loved POR (also stayed in the Royal Rooms) and would happily stay there again. There is a lot of great information on the Resorts forum in the dedicated Port Orleans information thread.
Welcome to the August Planning Thread it's great to have you!!!

 

[pigletto]

The boys would love to get some pictures of them coming off the slides . I am more of a lazy river/wave pool gal myself, LOL!

I think I read somewhere that you can pre-order the regular Photopass, then get a refund if you don't get enough good pictures to warrant the purchase. If that's the case, maybe that would be the best way to go. Then we could add our Ohana pictures from our character breakfast if they turn out well, and we opt to purchase the photo package.

Does anyone know if the photos from Planet Hollywood can also be added to Photopass? That sure would be nice.....but I'm guessing not!!

When we were planning our 2009 trip, there were tons of links from people who were doing a Photopass share. Does that still exist?!? Haven't seen those posts in a while.

We did a photopass share in 2008 too and it worked out really well!! They aren't allowed on the boards anymore due to potential problems but I have seen posts saying sometimes they are organized on Facebook.

 

[sktjcox]

I've stayed in the AB rooms. The preferred rooms are in the buildings that are closest to the main building and in a great location. I loved POR (also stayed in the Royal Rooms) and would happily stay there again. There is a lot of great information on the Resorts forum in the dedicated Port Orleans information thread.
Welcome to the August Planning Thread it's great to have you!!!

Thanks, I'll check it out! Planning is half the fun

 

[Jeannegirl326]

Please add us for August. We will be at the GF from the 17-23. My husband, 21year old son & 25 year old nephew. Haven't been since 2008 and I can't wait!

 

[Loreli]

Please add us for August. We will be at the GF from the 17-23. My husband, 21year old son & 25 year old nephew. Haven't been since 2008 and I can't wait!

We will be there the same dates, at AoA.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

We did a photopass share in 2008 too and it worked out really well!! They aren't allowed on the boards anymore due to potential problems but I have seen posts saying sometimes they are organized on Facebook.

Ah, makes sense!

 

[FlaNani]

Well, I'm lucky! My friends are DVC members, and they are treating us to a villa at OKW, so I don't have to worry about resort costs.

3 ADRs ----------------------- $300

8 Quick service-----------------$160

4 new T-shirts (tradition)-------$120

Spoiling the grandbabies--------$200

Misc---------------------------$200

Gas to and from----------------$20
____________________________________

Prelim Total--------------------$1000

I know I'm forgetting some things, so I'll have to adjust as time goes!

I SSOOOOO can't wait

 

[squirrel4569]

I don't know if you feel you must start your trip with MK, but we are going on some of your days, and Josh has HS listed as the best park on 8/18 and MK as the worst (although they do have EMH that night, so not sure if you were looking to take advantage of that). 8/19 is showing Epcot at the best park for that day, so I would probably keep that if I were you.

I talked with my wife about this and she said "we'll definitely want later hours at DHS so let's switch." I looked to see if ADR's were available for Akershus and H&V and they were with even better times than we had previously so I think it will work out well.

Our basic thought was if we hit DHS at RD, leave around 1pm to go back to the resort and then return around 5 for dinner that won't leave us a lot of time to enjoy the attractions until 8:30. We're not likely to stay for the PM EMH, but we may stay until closing. The kids like F! but that takes up a chunk of time waiting for the show so if we want to see that then we can do it at the later showing and then head out afterwards.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Time for a QOTD to liven up a dull and boring Monday........

Your Fairy Godmother gives you $500, with the stipulation that you must use it towards something special or "extra" for your trip. What would you use it for?

Upgrade your resort? Add on a special activity? Take the family out to a fancy restaurant? Rent a limo to get to and from the airport? Buy extra souvenirs?

Or ...... ?