|
Braksgirl posted:I like Coronado because they have queen sized beds instead of doubles. The decor is very nice and it tends to draw fewer families so it's a bit quieter. Coronado also has probably the best quick service restaurant at any of the resorts if you're doing the dining plan.
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2013 06:34
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 9, 2024 23:07 |
|
|
Just booked Coronado Springs  203 days to go  Apart from reading the OP over and over, which I'm going to do now, is there any other resources I can be looking at? Are there any other alternatives to Le Cellier for a steak? I must admit the cheese soup sounds amazing so I'll probably end up there if I can get a reservation.
|
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2013 12:16
|
|
|
I had the NY Strip at Narcoosie's last time I went, and it was cooked perfectly. They know what medium-rare means! I think that's the only steak I've ever eaten at WDW. I'm from Texas, so steak isn't really much of a vacation food for me. But it was great. 2 dining credits, but worth it! Everything at Narcoosie's is great except for some sort of deep-fried red snapper that I had one time...head, tail, bones and all. I'm sure it would have been delicious if it had been fileted.
|
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2013 16:21
|
|
|
Both The Brown Derby and Artist Point at the Wilderness Lodge are also good places to get a steak, though they're both in that same hella expensive tier. I'm also from Texas so ordering steak at either place would simply seem like a wasted opportunity. Artist Point serves awesome seasonal game meats and Pacific Northwest seafood while The Brown Derby is more classical American Rich People Food. If I want a perfect steak I can just go to HEB and then slap a good cut of meat onto the BBQ pit or a skillet for a few minutes. Reductions and a $40 NY Strip are fine but the opportunity cost of eating such a thing would kill me.
|
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2013 19:30
|
|
|
I'm going to have a day I could spend in Orland before going to (hopefully) watch a rocket launch and am considering spending it in Disney World, probably Epcot. If I go right from the airport, I could be there around 10-11 maybe, and stay until closing. Would this be sufficient to explore all the good stuff in that park? Anything else in Orlando that I, a single adult male, should consider spending  2 on instead?Edit: "male" isn't really a relevant piece of information here, I'm not looking for strip clubs or anything like that. mobby_6kl fucked around with this message at 22:19 on Sep 1, 2013 |
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2013 20:02
|
|
|
mobby_6kl posted:I'm going to have a day I could spend in Orland before going to (hopefully) watch a rocket launch and am considering spending it in Disney World, probably Epcot. If I go right from the airport, I could be there around 10-11 maybe, and stay until closing. Would this be sufficient to explore all the good stuff in that park? Anything else in Orlando that I, a single adult male, should consider spending I'd say one day is enough to get a lot of the good stuff at EPCOT in, but probably not all. You could get your money's worth though, particularly if you're the kind of person that would enjoy the simple pleasures of The World Showcase. That splits your time nicely between riding and waiting for the big rides of the other half of the park, and a more relaxing time at whatever countries suit your fancy. If you're more of a thrill ride fan, Islands of Adventure might be a better bet for your single day. I'm a huge coaster fan and would have a hard time deciding between those two.
|
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2013 23:47
|
|
|
mobby_6kl posted:I'm going to have a day I could spend in Orland before going to (hopefully) watch a rocket launch and am considering spending it in Disney World, probably Epcot. If I go right from the airport, I could be there around 10-11 maybe, and stay until closing. Would this be sufficient to explore all the good stuff in that park? Anything else in Orlando that I, a single adult male, should consider spending Depending on the time of year and the hours, maybe. You can certainly hit all the rides at MK solo but forget taking time to enjoy the park. If it is during a crowded time of the year, forget it. Now, if you check the list of rides at MK and decide meh, I am not going to ride Peter Pan, Dumbo or Small World then shortening the list makes it more attainable to complete MK. Epcot is more feasible from a time perspective since it closes at 9 PM nightly year round with some exceptions. No thrill rides, more educational than anything else. When are you heading down here if I may ask? I can check at the schedules etc. and help out with the planning. I live literally behind Magic Kindgom a couple of miles away. 
demonR6 fucked around with this message at 14:21 on Sep 2, 2013 |
|
#
?
Sep 2, 2013 14:16
|
|
|
Does anyone here have knowledge of the Disney Vacation Club? I am pricing out a trip for my family of four, and am starting to wonder if I might be better off buying a DVC membership instead. I am looking at the secondary market and since we are thinking of a trip to Hawaii in the next few years we could visit that resort too. If I understand how it works, we could exchange our membership points for places like Las Vegas as well, right? Of course, if one of the travel agents in this thread wanted to PM me about traveling to WDW in April 2014, I would be interested in seeing what I could work out there as well. Thanks!
|
|
#
?
Sep 3, 2013 15:17
|
|
|
kensei posted:Does anyone here have knowledge of the Disney Vacation Club? I am pricing out a trip for my family of four, and am starting to wonder if I might be better off buying a DVC membership instead. I am looking at the secondary market and since we are thinking of a trip to Hawaii in the next few years we could visit that resort too. If I understand how it works, we could exchange our membership points for places like Las Vegas as well, right? I have DVC. I can answer most questions so let me know. As far as transferring points, you can only exchange DVC points with RCI, which js a one way exchange and not recersable. You can use your DVC points for a variety of Disney locations. DVC resorts (WDW, Disneyland CA, Aulani in Hawaii, Hilton Head and Vero Beach). You can also use points for other Disney vacations worldwide. It depends on the date of the trip, where you are going, what kind of vacation class it falls under etc. I bought DVC because we love going to WDW, go every year (sometimes multiple times), and our son is only 5 so it was a good investment for us. We also bought because it allows us to stay at deluxe resorts which we couldn't afford the rack rates, such as Bay Lake Tower.
|
|
#
?
Sep 3, 2013 15:28
|
|
|
Douchebag posted:I have DVC. I can answer most questions so let me know. Ah, I didn't know that you can only exchange with RCI. Interesting, I believe I have relatives that are members there. I was just reading this: http://www.mousesavers.com/other-disney-vacations/disney-vacation-club/ and their comments about ROI are making me hesitate. Since you go every year, what's the availability, how hard is it to get the time you want at the resort you want? Is it pretty simple to book in CA if you are an owner in FL? What about Hawaii, how long is the waiting list?
|
|
#
?
Sep 3, 2013 15:35
|
|
|
I own 125 points at Saratoga Springs, which is my "home resort". I can book eleven months out at the home resort. Any other DVC resort I'm limited to a 7 month booking window. Availability depends on time of year. I'm going this December, 12/8-12/14, and I booked my home resort 11 months out. At the 7 month window I tried for other resorts but they were all booked solid. You can "waitlist" a request, and it something opens up it will switch automatically. I've booked non home resort stays at 7 months and had no problem. We plan on going to Hawaii in a few years and will have to wait for the 7 month window but shouldn't have a problem as long as its not Christmas. Certain festival times are busy, such as Food and Wine, Christmas and New Years etc, it just depends. There are other benefits to DVC as well. Discounted annual pass purchase and discounted annual pass renewals (no discounts on normal park passes). You are not eligible for the free dining plan promotions as a DVC member, those are reserved for customers paying rack rates. I transferred into RCI once, and won't do it again. Didn't have an issue, there are just some point requirements that don't make it cost effective to doing it. You can also stay at any Disney resort using DVC points, but if you are trying to use points at a Non-DVC resort (Polynesian, value resorts, Art of Animation etc) the points required are ludicrous, so it's not at all cost effective to do it.
|
|
#
?
Sep 3, 2013 15:54
|
|
|
Did you buy direct from Disney? What's your dues rate of inflation? What does your 125 points get you, a week typically or?
|
|
#
?
Sep 3, 2013 15:57
|
|
|
I really want to buy at Bay Lake Towers, but it'll be a few years before I'm comfortable with the purchase. If you plan on going to Disney every year or two DVC is a good way to go.
|
|
#
?
Sep 3, 2013 16:40
|
|
|
kensei posted:Did you buy direct from Disney? What's your dues rate of inflation? What does your 125 points get you, a week typically or? I'm not sure what the ROI was for the dues, they fluctuate every year. This year it was less than last year by about $1 per point overall, but if you talk to a DVC sales agent they can tell you all of this. When I bought DVC we looked at how much we would travel and settled on once a year, then looked at point charts, and settled on 125 points, as it would allow us to pretty much go for one week a year, with points left to bank. Banking/borrowing: you can bank one year and borrow one year, at a time. So, say you have 50 points per year, for 2013, and you bank them. Now you have 100 available in 2014. You can also borrow one year ahead, from 2015, and have 150 points in 2014 to plan a trip. Once you bank it's not reversible. Anyway, if that's confusing let me know:) Let me break down my points for you: I had a balance of 98 points for 2013 (I borrowed some last year). I'm staying at Saratoga in December for 6 nights, for a total of 75 points. I'm left with 23 points which I banked, giving me 148 to use in 2014. In 2014 I'm going twice: I'm doing a split stay in march, 3 nights at Wilderness Lodge (51 points) and 3 nights at Boardwalk (57 points), leaving me with 40 points for when I want to go back for Food and Wine in November. I'm probably going to be short 7 points in Nov but that's another situation entirely (you can buy points at $15 per point once a year if your short). Each resort has different point charts, and the points change based on what season you are going (Disney seasons, not real ones). I try to go Sunday to Thursday as weekend nights are more points, so I can save a little that way. Another reason we factored into our point total choice. If you are interested go online and request the DVD package, it has a ton of info. Or PM me if I confused the poo poo out of you Edit: yes I purchased direct from Disney. I got in on a promo for $99/point at Saratoga at the end of 2011. Douchebag fucked around with this message at 17:11 on Sep 3, 2013 |
|
#
?
Sep 3, 2013 17:06
|
|
|
PS Orlando is the timeshare capital of the world and if you are considering making that kind of investment be sure to explore all of the opportunities available to you. Do your homework, research and never, ever impulse buy ever no matter what they throw at you. Most cancellations and rescission's occur within the first few days and all end up being buyers remorse when they go back to their home and realize what they got into. I won't pollute the thread but the conversation can always be taken offline. I work at corporate level not sales but have been in the industry for way too long and saying this from my experience.
|
|
#
?
Sep 3, 2013 17:13
|
|
|
I agree with that wholeheartedly. I spent 6 weeks researching and reading before I called DVC to talk to a person. By the time I called the only thing I needed information on was the cost. Definitely research it. DVC works for us, but another company might work better for you. DVC was better for us because RCI makes you buy the same week every year, I liked the flexibility of Disney better. Douchebag fucked around with this message at 17:22 on Sep 3, 2013 |
|
#
?
Sep 3, 2013 17:17
|
|
|
Douchebag posted:DVC was better for us because RCI makes you buy the same week every year, I liked the flexibility of Disney better. Out of curiosity can you elaborate on the RCI comment you mentioned because RCI is only an exchange company and does not sell timeshare. RCI functions on what is traded into the system and depending on the demand, some locations and weeks can be limited. RCI and II are the two largest players in the exchange world and both function on the same principle. They sign an agreement with the company, Disney in this case, and they offer membership into their system so members can trade into other locations. You can become a member of RCI or II without owning timeshare but you do not have the same benefits as if you are trading or banking your week(s) with the exchange company. They are simply facilitating the exchange process between owners. demonR6 fucked around with this message at 18:41 on Sep 3, 2013 |
|
#
?
Sep 3, 2013 18:36
|
|
|
demonR6 posted:Out of curiosity can you elaborate on the RCI comment you mentioned because RCI is only an exchange company and does not sell timeshare. RCI functions on what is traded into the system and depending on the demand, some locations and weeks can be limited. My understanding of other companies is limited, and what I said earlier was what I learned from talking to RCI members, most recently last month. They purchased a week from RCI, and can stay at any participating resort during that week. This person said they purchased the 3rd week of July and always take their RCI resort vacation during that week every year. I'm sure there are other plans but when I was researching it I only came across the weekly based purchase plan.
|
|
#
?
Sep 3, 2013 19:12
|
|
|
Well, as I mentioned earlier both RCI and II only serve as middlemen for owners to facilitate trading in their weeks. As a member you can rent through them or purchase vouchers for additional weeks in the event you want to vacation longer than what you currently own or are retired and take a number of vacations. I can buy vacation vouchers through RCI for a discounted price as an associate for example and am limited to the booking window and availability at whatever resort I choose. This sounds like what RCI does with their vouchers. Endless Vacation Rentals is non-member arm of RCI that sells this excess inventory from owners and developers as vacation packages and combo deals park passes as an example. Hit me up on PM and I can tell you what kind of deals I can get through friends and family. 
|
|
#
?
Sep 3, 2013 19:40
|
|
|
That's good to know because there is a participating RCI resort (that also sells a limited inventory of rooms at cash rates) in FL that my wife and I love. I will look into that and if we are going back next year ill hit you up for info
|
|
#
?
Sep 3, 2013 20:03
|
|
|
Nathilus posted:I'd say one day is enough to get a lot of the good stuff at EPCOT in, but probably not all. You could get your money's worth though, particularly if you're the kind of person that would enjoy the simple pleasures of The World Showcase. That splits your time nicely between riding and waiting for the big rides of the other half of the park, and a more relaxing time at whatever countries suit your fancy. demonR6 posted:Depending on the time of year and the hours, maybe. You can certainly hit all the rides at MK solo but forget taking time to enjoy the park. If it is during a crowded time of the year, forget it. Now, if you check the list of rides at MK and decide meh, I am not going to ride Peter Pan, Dumbo or Small World then shortening the list makes it more attainable to complete MK. Epcot is more feasible from a time perspective since it closes at 9 PM nightly year round with some exceptions. No thrill rides, more educational than anything else. Thanks guys. If everything goes according to plan, I should be there on September 17th. I like ride but I'm not crazy about them (at least the ones I tried). From what I recall, visiting multiple parks requires purchasing a more expensive ticket, so I'll probably stick to just one as I'll be on a budget.
|
|
#
?
Sep 3, 2013 23:14
|
|
|
Thank you both for the info, I have been debating this since the last time we were in WDL and it's now coming up because we are thinking of doing the WDW and Hawaii both soon.
|
|
#
?
Sep 3, 2013 23:20
|
|
|
Ooo, September is one of the best times to go, as far as crowds are concerned. (Check to make sure the 17th isn't a holiday.) You'll walk onto pretty much everything. If you're arriving mid- to late-morning, you should have enough time for all of Epcot or almost all of Magic Kingdom. And honestly, there's a good chance you'd be able to finish the MK. They're two very different parks, but you'll have a great time, regardless. Whichever you go to, be sure to catch the fireworks.
|
|
#
?
Sep 3, 2013 23:27
|
|
|
Lincoln posted:Ooo, September is one of the best times to go, as far as crowds are concerned. (Check to make sure the 17th isn't a holiday.) You'll walk onto pretty much everything. If you're arriving mid- to late-morning, you should have enough time for all of Epcot or almost all of Magic Kingdom. And honestly, there's a good chance you'd be able to finish the MK. They're two very different parks, but you'll have a great time, regardless. Whichever you go to, be sure to catch the fireworks. This. The past 2 years I've flown into Orlando on the Sunday before Labor Day, and while Sunday and Monday are crowded (Sunday much more than Monday) the entire week feels empty by Disney standards. Back to school week is the best week to go IMO.
|
|
#
?
Sep 3, 2013 23:55
|
|
|
Right now its d-e-a-d.. best time to go to the parks because the weather is starting to get cooler too. I'll check tomorrow when I get to work and get the link to the site where I can get the certificates and share the information. My nephew who lives in Boston uses it often when he goes on vacations now because he hates staying at hotels. Same with the wife and I.. if I cannot stay at one of our resorts or an RCI affiliate we look elsewhere. EDIT: as promised.. http://www.resortcerts.com/ Now, the disclaimer.. RVS is essentially RCI selling certificates good for one week at one of their affiliate resorts. It's a good way to rent out developer weeks that are in inventory at a deep discount, unused or unsold inventory as well as shoulder season at resorts that have availability. Heads in beds is the key here because an empty resort makes no one money. The certificates are redeemable for 7-night stays at a number of resorts that you can view online at the site. They have a 12 month expiration and have a book by date on them. There is a FAQ page that answers most everything. You are not obligated to take any tours or other nonsense with this. I use these for personal use, have given them as gifts to friends and my nephew travels with them a few times a year. I personally go through our internal booking and when we have no availability at our resorts or the cost through this is cheaper I use these as well. If you are interested PM me and we can get you a certificate(s). I would have to buy it using my employee code.. no, I will not post it for the world to see here. I am sure you can understand why.
demonR6 fucked around with this message at 13:02 on Sep 4, 2013 |
|
#
?
Sep 3, 2013 23:59
|
|
|
I'm planning on going in early February...how is the weather / crowds during this period?
|
|
#
?
Sep 5, 2013 21:09
|
|
|
Weather is hit or miss.. mostly good as in mow my lawn in a t-shirt and not break a sweat. Crowds don't pick up until spring break unless you are here during a holiday.
|
|
#
?
Sep 5, 2013 21:15
|
|
|
Here's a good general guide to crowd levels during certain times of the year. And there are much more specific calendars, too, even giving you predicted crowd levels at specific parks on specific days.
|
|
#
?
Sep 6, 2013 01:15
|
|
|
It's not the easiest site to navigate, but I've found http://www.easywdw.com/ 's crowd calendars to be great. They've also got live wait times for the four parks, which come in handy. To give an idea of just how dead it is right now, I went to Hollywood Studios yesterday, arrived at noon, did Rock 'n Roller Coaster, Star Tours, Muppetvision, Tower of Terror and Great Movie Ride, then left at 2:30.
|
|
#
?
Sep 6, 2013 02:17
|
|
|
mearn posted:It's not the easiest site to navigate, but I've found http://www.easywdw.com/ 's crowd calendars to be great. They've also got live wait times for the four parks, which come in handy. The guy who runs easywdw is also pretty goddamn funny. His park updates are also great.
|
|
#
?
Sep 6, 2013 03:53
|
|
|
or ask one of us locals who have annual passes and go almost every weekend. Case in point, if you want Sea World information for example... What's the park look like today? Well, the park opens at 9 AM and as you can see the main parking lot is pretty empty right now and no steady flow of cars arriving. 
demonR6 fucked around with this message at 13:54 on Sep 6, 2013 |
|
#
?
Sep 6, 2013 13:45
|
|
|
demonR6 posted:or ask one of us locals who have annual passes and go almost every weekend. drat, Blackfish seems to be causing more of a problem than I thought for them.
|
|
#
?
Sep 6, 2013 18:09
|
|
|
TheBigBudgetSequel posted:drat, Blackfish seems to be causing more of a problem than I thought for them. Nah, it's off season. Two weeks ago the park was packed. The lot is about half way full right now. Aquatica is packed though.
|
|
#
?
Sep 6, 2013 18:22
|
|
|
September is the best month of the year to avoid crowds for the most part. Disney is (relatively) empty.
|
|
#
?
Sep 6, 2013 21:30
|
|
|
Which explains why my family is leaving in two and a half weeks. Well, that and the beginning of the best time of the year: Food and Wine!
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2013 04:04
|
|
|
Food & Wine is our favorite.. we are there practically every weekend, sampling.
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2013 11:47
|
|
|
Never been to Food & Wine Festival. How does it affect crowd sizes at Epcot?
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2013 12:43
|
|
|
Lincoln posted:Never been to Food & Wine Festival. How does it affect crowd sizes at Epcot? It is definitely more crowded but I cannot tell you that it makes it worse than a bad day at Magic Kingdom. In my experiences going to the parks, Epcot has always seemed fine even when it is crowded. The only time I feel claustrophobic at that park is when it is busy and you have fireworks going on.
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2013 12:53
|
|
|
During the first week or two, the WS gets pretty crowded. As in it may take thirty seconds to cross from one side of the street to the other instead of ten seconds. The rest of the park is generally unchanged.
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2013 15:34
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 9, 2024 23:07 |
|
|
World Showcase can get pretty ridiculously busy in the afternoons/evenings. Especially on Fridays and Saturdays when locals are more likely to join in. But yeah, Future World is barely affected at all by the crowds.
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2013 16:44
|
|