I have written several posts on the dining plan in the past. By now it is probably obvious that I am only a fan of the plan if you get it for free (or if your family really enjoys having a sit down meal every day). We have been very lucky to get it for free almost every trip so I definitely wouldn't turn it down, but I also did not pay to add it to the last two trips we took to the World. Why? Truthfully, the amount of food you have to eat on it to make it worth the money is way too much for our family. I have kept our receipts for the last few years when we had free dining and it was about a wash with the price for the plan. I added up every penny we spent on snacks, counter service meals, and dinner and compared it to the price we would have paid to add the dining plan to our stay. Every time we came out almost even. In other words, we wouldn't have saved any money by adding the plan. In fact, we probably would have spent more because there were many times we were eating food we wouldn't have purchased out of pocket (mainly desserts). We were "forced" to get a dessert at every meal, and truth be told, we don't often spend money on desserts. I am not saying we didn't enjoy eating them, but very often we left food on our plates because it was way too much. I have written posts in the past about how we stretch the dining plan and share meals which allows us a few extra meals, plus it eliminates excessive waste of food. Even taking that into consideration though, we still wouldn't come out ahead as we would share those meals anyway if we were paying out of pocket.
Whether or not you pay for the plan, or if you are lucky enough to get it for free, I have a few tips for maximizing the plan to get the most value out of it. My husband always makes it his personal challenge to get the most expensive food and dessert at each restaurant so that he can make the most of the plan. So, based on his "research" I have a few tips.
Part one: Maximizing the Dining Plan Using Sit Down Meal Credits
First of all, I am not a big fan of using the dining plan on signature restaurants (these take two dining entitlements) or in room pizza delivery. I would rather have two sit down meals instead of one that takes two credits, and truthfully, I can get two pizzas at Pizza Hut for $20, and even if I have them delivered and pay a delivery fee it is cheaper than wasting a sit down meal credit. We have had Giordano's delivered to Pop Century before when we didn't have access to a car so I know that there are restaurants that deliver if you just don't want to go out. There are so many amazing restaurants to choose from on property so why do I want to waste a sit down meal on a pizza that is made at the food court (and really isn't that good)? As for the signature restaurants, I just don't feel like you can get your money's worth for two credits. Now, I must admit that I have done this once. A few years ago my princess wanted to eat inside the castle so we did use two credits a piece for this meal. While this did include gratuity (not usual for dining plan anymore) and a photo package with Cinderella, I probably wouldn't do it again unless she really begged. I would rather eat with Cinderella at 1900 Park Fare where the atmosphere is more relaxed, and the food is much much better.
Secondly, I wouldn't do breakfast unless it is something that your family really enjoys. You get much more food at lunch or dinner, and you aren't wasting a credit on bacon and eggs. We have had breakfast at a few sit downs now, and I walked away every time feeling like I just spent my life fortune on pancakes and waffles. None of the food was any different than what I could make at home (with the exception of maybe a casserole or two). Since our family isn't really into eating big breakfasts, we would rather have cereal or bagels at the hotel and save our meals for later. We had quick service for free last year and my daughter begged to eat at Chef Mickey's on her birthday. After looking at the prices, we decided to try their breakfast since it was considerably cheaper than dinner. Since we were paying out of pocket, we wanted to eat as cheap as possible. So, we took the plunge and tried it. After waiting in line to take our picture and get seated, we were starving by the time we were taken to our table. However, Mickey Mouse was really close to our table so we waited to see him. Then we raced to the buffet and filled our plates. By the time we got back, Goofy was one table away, so we spent the next few minutes getting ready for autographs and pictures. By the time he left and we started eating, our food was getting cold (as breakfast foods often do). So we ate a little then went to get more, only to come back to Minnie Mouse heading our way. So the cycle started again. By the time we had seen all of the characters it was an hour later and I had only eaten a few Mickey waffles, some scrambled eggs, some potato casserole and a muffin. I felt full as I was utterly exhausted, so we paid our bill and left. Our meal cost us $90 out of pocket by the time we paid for three buffets and left a tip. I really did not feel like the three of us had eaten $90 worth of food, and truthfully that is almost my whole grocery budget for a week. If we had eaten there for dinner as we usually do, we would have eaten a lot more food and I would have felt like I had gotten better value for my money since I would have had fresh carved beef, or ham, and lots of other goodies. I guess I just have a hard time spending so much on breakfast food that is really pretty cheap to make. Even if we had used a dining entitlement for our breakfast, and we had gotten the dining plan for free, I would have walked away from that meal feeling like I just threw money out the window. I am not saying we won't do breakfast again on the dining plan, but it will definitely only be when we get the plan for free. I am sure doing one or two breakfasts wouldn't be a big deal, but if you want to get your money's worth from the plan, breakfast is not your best value.
Finally, there are certain restaurants to avoid to get the best value out of your plan. The in room pizza delivery is number one on my list. Second choice would be The Plaza restaurant in Magic Kingdom. The prices are super cheap here, and the atmosphere is pretty laid back. The prices really aren't much higher than those at counter service locations, so you just can't get a good deal if you are on the plan. Now if you want a cheap sit down meal to pay out of pocket, then this is an awesome place to go. I would also avoid most of the sit down restaurants at the moderate resorts. These are geared towards the guests at those resorts, so again the prices are pretty affordable. Not only are the prices cheap, but the atmosphere is pretty laid back and simple (for example, Shutters at Caribbean Beach is open in the morning as extra seating for resort guests eating in the food court). The food may be good at these restaurants, but it is far from fancy and the value is not there if you are using the plan. One final restaurant that stands out as a low value for the plan is Beaches and Cream at the Beach Club. Here you will get burgers or sandwiches, and the desserts on the plan aren't as great as I would hope. you get a simple sundae or other small ice cream treat. I would rather go here for dessert only and enjoy a Banana Split or Kitchen Sink sundae out of pocket. Most other restaurants on property are going to be a decent value. If you are looking for a few that will give you your money's worth I suggest O'Hana, Teppan Edo, Portobello, Wolfgang Puck (lower dining room), T-Rex, Whispering Canyon Cafe, Boma or a Character Buffet for dinner (1900 Park Fare, Chef Mickey's, Akershus, or Crystal Palace). These are all pricier options with either big portions, yummy desserts, or a great atmosphere. I would put all of these at the top of my must do list for all newbies to the plan.
In the coming days (hopefully) I will post my tips for maximizing the plan with quick service options.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Our sit down choices for our upcoming Disney trip
It is hard to believe, but it has already been three months since I woke up at the crack of dawn to make my dining reservations. On the flip side of that, it is even harder to believe that we are only three months out from our exciting trip to Disney World. If the next three months pass even half as quickly as the last three, I will be sitting on the new Dumbo before I even know it and eagerly anticipating that nights yummy meal. As I was re-writing my itinerary for the upteenth time it hit me that it has been a while since I posted on sit down restaurants (or really since I had posted at all thanks to summer and traveling). So, I thought I would share the list of restaurants we chose for our upcoming meal, and why we chose them. Hopefully it will help someone else who is planning a trip.
Before I list them, let me give you a little background on our travel party so some of my choices may make a little more sense :) It is myself, my husband, and our eight year old daughter (who will celebrate her ninth birthday while we are there). We are going for ten nights, and were able to snag the free dining promotion for our entire trip. Since we are staying at a value resort, we are getting the quick service plan for free (two counter service meals and one snack per day, per person). We chose to upgrade to the regular dining plan though which is an additional $36.31 per day total for all three of us. The regular dining plan includes one snack, one counter service, and one sit down meal, per day, per person. We have done the quick service plan for the entire 10 days and found ourselves getting really tired of the hamburgers, pizzas, and wraps by the end of our trip. Thus the reason for the upgrade :). This trip we also get the pleasure of my Aunt and Cousin joining us for four nights at the end of our trip, so that played a part in deciding which restaurants we chose as well. So, that is the background, and now I will get to the choices!
Day 1
We have a reservation at Portobello at Downtown Disney. I chose a time after 6:00 as I don't anticipate us staying late at the parks that day after driving late into the night to get there the night before. I have always wanted to try Portobello as our family really enjoys Italian meals, but in the past they have not been on the dining plan. Since this is the first year they are on the plan, I figured we had better try it in case they change their mind next year :). We also really enjoy trying new restaurants while we are at Disney, so this one was a perfect fit.
Day 2
We have dinner at 50s Prime Time Cafe. I cannot believe I finally talked my hubby into trying this one. I have been trying for years, but he always fights me. To give a little background, this restaurant is set with a 1950s theme and the waitresses are all supposed to be like your Mom...telling you to eat your vegetables. Well, seeing as most meals come with veggies, and my hubby has a gag reflex with most things green, it has never appealed to him. Add that to the fact that most of the menu is homecooked "favorites" (meatloaf, fried chicken, potpie, etc) which we don't eat a lot of, and you can see why it hasn't been high on our list. However, I know several people who love this restaurant and make it a must do every trip. Crossing my fingers that this one works out for us, and my hubby doesn't spend the evening in the corner for not eating his veggies.
Day 3
We have dinner with the Princesses at Akershus in Norway at Epcot. This is another one that took a lot of convincing for my hubby to book. We have eaten here three different times, and every time he swears we will never do it again. However, my daughter begged for it. After realizing that our little girl is very quickly growing up and will soon think she is too cool to eat with the Princesses, he relented and said he would give it one more try. A quick note, the food here is Norweigen for lunch and dinner for adults, but pretty normal American fare for the kids.
Day 4
We have dinner at Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom. Surprisingly, this is one of only three character meals this trip (this really makes me sad). This is an all you can eat buffet inside the park with Winnie the Pooh characters. We have eaten here before, but it was my daughter's first trip and she was only 22 months old. To say that she was terrified of the characters would be a gross understatement. She spent the entire meal under the table and her Daddy and I had to hold up napkins around her so she couldn't see the characters in order for her to eat. I am definitely ready to try this one again, and hopefully have a little less stressful meal!
Day 5
We have dinner at Les Chefs de France at Epcot. This is one that my hubby has been wanting to try for a while now. I am not usually an adventurous eater so I have resisted as long as I could. However, since he is letting my do 50's Prime Time, I really didn't have much choice :) Plus, Remy (from Ratatouille) visits the dining room on a meal cart most nights for dinner and interacts with the diners. I am looking forward to that the most! Crossing my fingers that this one works out for us as well.
Day 6
We have dinner at Captains Grille at the Yacht Club resort. This is another new one for us. I really like crab legs, and my hubby really likes crab cakes so we are hoping to enjoy a tasty seafood treat that night. Most of the restaurants that we wanted to try for seafood took two meal credits, and this was one of the few that took only one. By default, this one was the choice for the evening. Since we will be spending the day at Animal Kingdom and the water parks, and they both close at 5:00, it was the perfect day to eat at a resort for dinner.
Day 7
We have lunch at Sci Fi Dine In at Hollywood Studios. This is one of my daughter's favorite restaurants. What child wouldn't enjoy eating their dinner inside of a parked car while they watch clips from old movies on the big screen as if they were at a drive in movie? This is the first day our extra special guests will be with us, so I wanted something affordable for them since they probably won't be on the dining plan. Also, we are going to get Giordano's pizza that night, so we didn't want a super big and heavy lunch :)
Day 8
We have dinner at Teppan Edo at Epcot. This is a Hibachi steak house with the best food and cooking show of any Hibachi restaurant I know. We have only eaten here once, but I can already taste that super tender steak hot off the grill! I am not sure if my extended family will be eating this meal with us or not since it is pretty pricey, but I have a second reservation just in case that I will cancel as the trip gets closer and we are more sure of their plans. This is one meal that I don't want to miss so I made a reservation in my Aunt's name just to be safe!
Day 9
We have dinner at Paradiso 37 at Downtown Disney. This will be another new restaurant for us. This is the first year on the Dining plan for it as well, so I definitely wanted to give it a shot. It too is somewhat affordable since it has burgers and sandwiches on the menu, so I figured it was a good one to try with the family visiting as well. This restaurant has kind of a Mexican/American mixed menu that looks super yummy. I can't wait to try it!
Day 10
We have dinner with Cinderella, Prince Charming, and her step sisters at 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian resort. We have done this one almost every single trip for the last few years. This will be my daughter's actual birthday, so she got to choose dinner for that night. This meal is an all you can eat buffet, and the prime rib here is always super tasty, along with the strawberry soup. With the characters and the yummy food, this is one of my favorites as well.
So, there you have it. Those are our choices for this year. I am still in shock that we aren't going to Chef Mickey's or Whispering Canyon, but I know that we will love the ones we chose in their place. Off the top of my head I can't think of any restaurants on property that I just refuse to ever eat at again. I definitely have my favorites, but all the restaurants are very yummy and we always walk away with a smile on our face. I can't wait to try our new choices this year and see if our streak of good luck with restaurants continues!
Before I list them, let me give you a little background on our travel party so some of my choices may make a little more sense :) It is myself, my husband, and our eight year old daughter (who will celebrate her ninth birthday while we are there). We are going for ten nights, and were able to snag the free dining promotion for our entire trip. Since we are staying at a value resort, we are getting the quick service plan for free (two counter service meals and one snack per day, per person). We chose to upgrade to the regular dining plan though which is an additional $36.31 per day total for all three of us. The regular dining plan includes one snack, one counter service, and one sit down meal, per day, per person. We have done the quick service plan for the entire 10 days and found ourselves getting really tired of the hamburgers, pizzas, and wraps by the end of our trip. Thus the reason for the upgrade :). This trip we also get the pleasure of my Aunt and Cousin joining us for four nights at the end of our trip, so that played a part in deciding which restaurants we chose as well. So, that is the background, and now I will get to the choices!
Day 1
We have a reservation at Portobello at Downtown Disney. I chose a time after 6:00 as I don't anticipate us staying late at the parks that day after driving late into the night to get there the night before. I have always wanted to try Portobello as our family really enjoys Italian meals, but in the past they have not been on the dining plan. Since this is the first year they are on the plan, I figured we had better try it in case they change their mind next year :). We also really enjoy trying new restaurants while we are at Disney, so this one was a perfect fit.
Day 2
We have dinner at 50s Prime Time Cafe. I cannot believe I finally talked my hubby into trying this one. I have been trying for years, but he always fights me. To give a little background, this restaurant is set with a 1950s theme and the waitresses are all supposed to be like your Mom...telling you to eat your vegetables. Well, seeing as most meals come with veggies, and my hubby has a gag reflex with most things green, it has never appealed to him. Add that to the fact that most of the menu is homecooked "favorites" (meatloaf, fried chicken, potpie, etc) which we don't eat a lot of, and you can see why it hasn't been high on our list. However, I know several people who love this restaurant and make it a must do every trip. Crossing my fingers that this one works out for us, and my hubby doesn't spend the evening in the corner for not eating his veggies.
Day 3
We have dinner with the Princesses at Akershus in Norway at Epcot. This is another one that took a lot of convincing for my hubby to book. We have eaten here three different times, and every time he swears we will never do it again. However, my daughter begged for it. After realizing that our little girl is very quickly growing up and will soon think she is too cool to eat with the Princesses, he relented and said he would give it one more try. A quick note, the food here is Norweigen for lunch and dinner for adults, but pretty normal American fare for the kids.
Day 4
We have dinner at Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom. Surprisingly, this is one of only three character meals this trip (this really makes me sad). This is an all you can eat buffet inside the park with Winnie the Pooh characters. We have eaten here before, but it was my daughter's first trip and she was only 22 months old. To say that she was terrified of the characters would be a gross understatement. She spent the entire meal under the table and her Daddy and I had to hold up napkins around her so she couldn't see the characters in order for her to eat. I am definitely ready to try this one again, and hopefully have a little less stressful meal!
Day 5
We have dinner at Les Chefs de France at Epcot. This is one that my hubby has been wanting to try for a while now. I am not usually an adventurous eater so I have resisted as long as I could. However, since he is letting my do 50's Prime Time, I really didn't have much choice :) Plus, Remy (from Ratatouille) visits the dining room on a meal cart most nights for dinner and interacts with the diners. I am looking forward to that the most! Crossing my fingers that this one works out for us as well.
Day 6
We have dinner at Captains Grille at the Yacht Club resort. This is another new one for us. I really like crab legs, and my hubby really likes crab cakes so we are hoping to enjoy a tasty seafood treat that night. Most of the restaurants that we wanted to try for seafood took two meal credits, and this was one of the few that took only one. By default, this one was the choice for the evening. Since we will be spending the day at Animal Kingdom and the water parks, and they both close at 5:00, it was the perfect day to eat at a resort for dinner.
Day 7
We have lunch at Sci Fi Dine In at Hollywood Studios. This is one of my daughter's favorite restaurants. What child wouldn't enjoy eating their dinner inside of a parked car while they watch clips from old movies on the big screen as if they were at a drive in movie? This is the first day our extra special guests will be with us, so I wanted something affordable for them since they probably won't be on the dining plan. Also, we are going to get Giordano's pizza that night, so we didn't want a super big and heavy lunch :)
Day 8
We have dinner at Teppan Edo at Epcot. This is a Hibachi steak house with the best food and cooking show of any Hibachi restaurant I know. We have only eaten here once, but I can already taste that super tender steak hot off the grill! I am not sure if my extended family will be eating this meal with us or not since it is pretty pricey, but I have a second reservation just in case that I will cancel as the trip gets closer and we are more sure of their plans. This is one meal that I don't want to miss so I made a reservation in my Aunt's name just to be safe!
Day 9
We have dinner at Paradiso 37 at Downtown Disney. This will be another new restaurant for us. This is the first year on the Dining plan for it as well, so I definitely wanted to give it a shot. It too is somewhat affordable since it has burgers and sandwiches on the menu, so I figured it was a good one to try with the family visiting as well. This restaurant has kind of a Mexican/American mixed menu that looks super yummy. I can't wait to try it!
Day 10
We have dinner with Cinderella, Prince Charming, and her step sisters at 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian resort. We have done this one almost every single trip for the last few years. This will be my daughter's actual birthday, so she got to choose dinner for that night. This meal is an all you can eat buffet, and the prime rib here is always super tasty, along with the strawberry soup. With the characters and the yummy food, this is one of my favorites as well.
So, there you have it. Those are our choices for this year. I am still in shock that we aren't going to Chef Mickey's or Whispering Canyon, but I know that we will love the ones we chose in their place. Off the top of my head I can't think of any restaurants on property that I just refuse to ever eat at again. I definitely have my favorites, but all the restaurants are very yummy and we always walk away with a smile on our face. I can't wait to try our new choices this year and see if our streak of good luck with restaurants continues!
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Travel Tip Tuesday
Two weeks in a row for Travel Tip Tuesday! I have to say that I am impressed with myself :). With Star Wars weekends currently going on at Hollywood Studios I thought it would be a good time to mention the Jedi Training Academy. Every day there are several 30 minute shows next to the Star Tours ride where little ones (ages 4 to 12) get to be Jedi's in training and help the Jedi Master to fight off Darth Vader and the Storm Troopers. It is a really cute show, especially for those little (or big....my hubby) Star Wars fans. My daughter really loves it. Somehow my hubby has managed to make her a Star Wars and Indiana Jones fan so this show is right up their alley. We usually catch at least a snip-it of it every trip.
My daughter loves to watch the show, but has never wanted to be a part of it. Therefore, I don't have first hand knowledge of what it takes to get your child on stage, but I feel like I can give you a few tips based on what I have seen, and what my friends have experienced. If your baby has always dreamed of being a Padawan, or would love to defeat the dark side, you will have to get to the park at rope drop. It used to be that the Jedi's in training were chosen before each show, but that has all changed in the past year or so. Now, when you walk down Hollywood Boulevard at park opening you will see signs on your left for Jedi Training Academy. These signs will direct you to the sign up area. At this point, the employee will help you find a show time that is available for your little Padawan. They will tell you when to arrive at the show as well to get your little one into their robe and get prepped for the show. The show times will fill up quickly each morning so you want to get there early to assure you get a space in a show. Be prepared, as the shows are out in the open. You will be standing in the hot sun with complete strangers trying to get good pictures of your baby so you may want to stake out a good place as early as is allowed for each show. Good luck, and May the Force be with you!
My daughter loves to watch the show, but has never wanted to be a part of it. Therefore, I don't have first hand knowledge of what it takes to get your child on stage, but I feel like I can give you a few tips based on what I have seen, and what my friends have experienced. If your baby has always dreamed of being a Padawan, or would love to defeat the dark side, you will have to get to the park at rope drop. It used to be that the Jedi's in training were chosen before each show, but that has all changed in the past year or so. Now, when you walk down Hollywood Boulevard at park opening you will see signs on your left for Jedi Training Academy. These signs will direct you to the sign up area. At this point, the employee will help you find a show time that is available for your little Padawan. They will tell you when to arrive at the show as well to get your little one into their robe and get prepped for the show. The show times will fill up quickly each morning so you want to get there early to assure you get a space in a show. Be prepared, as the shows are out in the open. You will be standing in the hot sun with complete strangers trying to get good pictures of your baby so you may want to stake out a good place as early as is allowed for each show. Good luck, and May the Force be with you!
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Travel Tip Tuesday
Hello again to the cyber world! I am really really behind now on posts. The end of school is always such a blur to me as I always seem to stay super busy! I think I have started the bulk of my last few posts in a similar fashion :)
Anyway, today's travel tip is super easy and simple. I have talked about deals before, but really feel like it bears repeating the ways you can find discounts for trips to Disney World. At bare minimum, always check in the Special Offers sections of the disneyworld.com website. If you look under the tab that says Tickets & Packages, it will list the current offers under Special Offers. There is almost always some kind of discount out there. For example, if you look on the website right now you will see a military discount and two different room only discounts for travel dates ranging between June 15 and Sept 29. For room only discounts, you have to stay completely within the listed dates. In other words if you check in Sept 25 and check out Oct 4, you will get the room only discount only from Sept 25 to Sept 29. The other dates of your trip you will pay full rack rate. However, if there is a package deal out there, you will get it the full length of your stay as long you check in before the last posted date. In the example above of the Sept 25 to Oct 4 trip you would get the deal for the whole trip since you are checking in before Sept 29.
What is the difference? A room only discount is just like it sounds. You are only booking the room. Usually people only do this if they can get passes through a third party (Undercover Tourist) or if they are annual pass holders. A package deal includes room, park tickets, and maybe dining. We almost always have a package since we travel during the time period when they often offer free dining. So, in our case this year we were able to get free dining for the whole length of our stay since we are checking in by September 29th, which was the last day of the free dining offer. Although that promotion just ended, I expect a new one to be offered in the near future for September 30 through the end of the year. Be on the lookout if you think you will be traveling during that time period. Keep checking the Disney website frequently as it should go live soon based on past years activity of this promotion.
There are several websites that also list all of the current deals and discounts. My favorites are mousesavers.com, allears.net, and touringplans.com. There are many more out there though. You can google Disney World discounts and all of the current ones will show up as well. I just like to go straight to the Disney website as you can book the deals straight from a link under special offers. Make sure you do it from the section listing the deal though or you won't get the deal and you will have to call Disney to get it changed. If you are unsure, you can always call Disney at 407-939-7675 and tell them what deal you are trying to book. Also, remember that you can always call Disney and have them adjust your reservation if a new deal comes out after you book!
Anyway, today's travel tip is super easy and simple. I have talked about deals before, but really feel like it bears repeating the ways you can find discounts for trips to Disney World. At bare minimum, always check in the Special Offers sections of the disneyworld.com website. If you look under the tab that says Tickets & Packages, it will list the current offers under Special Offers. There is almost always some kind of discount out there. For example, if you look on the website right now you will see a military discount and two different room only discounts for travel dates ranging between June 15 and Sept 29. For room only discounts, you have to stay completely within the listed dates. In other words if you check in Sept 25 and check out Oct 4, you will get the room only discount only from Sept 25 to Sept 29. The other dates of your trip you will pay full rack rate. However, if there is a package deal out there, you will get it the full length of your stay as long you check in before the last posted date. In the example above of the Sept 25 to Oct 4 trip you would get the deal for the whole trip since you are checking in before Sept 29.
What is the difference? A room only discount is just like it sounds. You are only booking the room. Usually people only do this if they can get passes through a third party (Undercover Tourist) or if they are annual pass holders. A package deal includes room, park tickets, and maybe dining. We almost always have a package since we travel during the time period when they often offer free dining. So, in our case this year we were able to get free dining for the whole length of our stay since we are checking in by September 29th, which was the last day of the free dining offer. Although that promotion just ended, I expect a new one to be offered in the near future for September 30 through the end of the year. Be on the lookout if you think you will be traveling during that time period. Keep checking the Disney website frequently as it should go live soon based on past years activity of this promotion.
There are several websites that also list all of the current deals and discounts. My favorites are mousesavers.com, allears.net, and touringplans.com. There are many more out there though. You can google Disney World discounts and all of the current ones will show up as well. I just like to go straight to the Disney website as you can book the deals straight from a link under special offers. Make sure you do it from the section listing the deal though or you won't get the deal and you will have to call Disney to get it changed. If you are unsure, you can always call Disney at 407-939-7675 and tell them what deal you are trying to book. Also, remember that you can always call Disney and have them adjust your reservation if a new deal comes out after you book!
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Travel Tip Tuesday
I have been a little behind in posting these the past few weeks. I am still having computer issues and it is a little trickier to post these on a tablet! Excuses aside now, here is my weekly travel tip :)
If you are traveling to the Orlando area (or really anywhere else), you should search out restaurants in the area ahead of time. If there are some that you think you would like to try, go to their website about a week before you go and sign up for their e-clubs. Often times, if they have an e-club they will send you a coupon for a free appetizer or dessert just for signing up with them. A bonus is if you will be celebrating your birthday while you are there. Often, they will also send you a coupon for a free meal on your birthday, too! This is what we do before we go to Disney as my daughter's birthday always falls during our trip. We often get a few free kids meals courtesy of these clubs while we are on vacation.I have compiled a list below of some of my favorite e-clubs in the Orlando area. These are all near Downtown Disney so you can get to them fairly easily if you are staying on or near property. Note, if you sign up for these, the coupons typically expire in 14 days from the day that they are sent. Therefore, plan your sign up time carefully!
Joe's Crab Shack Sends you a free appetizer coupon when you sign up
Chicago Pizzaria Uno Sends you a free appetizer when you sign up and frequently sends coupons throughout the year.
Fuddruckers Sends you a coupon for a burger and drink combo at $7 and we also received a coupon for free burger when you buy one as well for a birthday deal.
Macaroni Grille Sends you a coupon for a free appetizer when you sign up.
Steak and Shake Sends you a coupon for a free meal on your birthday or anniversary
Also, Rainforest Cafe has a place on their website where you can print down reading calendars for your child. If you fill it in every day of the month stating which book your child read that day and take it with you to the restaurant, you will get any kids meal for only $.99. This is a big savings if you are paying out of pocket. On a side note, we have successfully used this coupon at T-Rex twice now as well!
This is just a list of a few examples we have found in the area. I am sure that there are a lot more as well! If you see coupons in the paper before you go, cut them out and take them with you. There are often Olive Garden or Red Lobster coupons in the Sunday inserts, so I suggest taking them with you. If you can find the time to go off property to eat a few meals, you will save a lot of money for other things.
One more way to save money is to go to restaurant.com and buy a few discounted dining certificates. If you enter zip code 32836 you will find several options for the Downtown Disney area (key address is on Apopka Vineland Road or Irlo Bronson Hwy if you are staying in Celebration). We always buy certificates for Giordano's pizza whenever they go on sale and take them with us. If you are like us and love true Chicago pizza...you know the stuffed pizza with layers and layers of cheese and a lid of crust and more cheese...I would suggest getting one or two! We often get the $10 certificate for $2 (with a sale). Make sure you read the fine print. You often have to spend a certain amount at the restaurant and will also have to pay 18% gratuity, but we still walk out of there saving a ton of money!
If anyone else knows of great e-clubs, or other ways to save at Orlando area restaurants I would love to hear your tips as well. We are always looking for new ways to save a buck at Disney!
If you are traveling to the Orlando area (or really anywhere else), you should search out restaurants in the area ahead of time. If there are some that you think you would like to try, go to their website about a week before you go and sign up for their e-clubs. Often times, if they have an e-club they will send you a coupon for a free appetizer or dessert just for signing up with them. A bonus is if you will be celebrating your birthday while you are there. Often, they will also send you a coupon for a free meal on your birthday, too! This is what we do before we go to Disney as my daughter's birthday always falls during our trip. We often get a few free kids meals courtesy of these clubs while we are on vacation.I have compiled a list below of some of my favorite e-clubs in the Orlando area. These are all near Downtown Disney so you can get to them fairly easily if you are staying on or near property. Note, if you sign up for these, the coupons typically expire in 14 days from the day that they are sent. Therefore, plan your sign up time carefully!
Joe's Crab Shack Sends you a free appetizer coupon when you sign up
Chicago Pizzaria Uno Sends you a free appetizer when you sign up and frequently sends coupons throughout the year.
Fuddruckers Sends you a coupon for a burger and drink combo at $7 and we also received a coupon for free burger when you buy one as well for a birthday deal.
Macaroni Grille Sends you a coupon for a free appetizer when you sign up.
Steak and Shake Sends you a coupon for a free meal on your birthday or anniversary
Also, Rainforest Cafe has a place on their website where you can print down reading calendars for your child. If you fill it in every day of the month stating which book your child read that day and take it with you to the restaurant, you will get any kids meal for only $.99. This is a big savings if you are paying out of pocket. On a side note, we have successfully used this coupon at T-Rex twice now as well!
This is just a list of a few examples we have found in the area. I am sure that there are a lot more as well! If you see coupons in the paper before you go, cut them out and take them with you. There are often Olive Garden or Red Lobster coupons in the Sunday inserts, so I suggest taking them with you. If you can find the time to go off property to eat a few meals, you will save a lot of money for other things.
One more way to save money is to go to restaurant.com and buy a few discounted dining certificates. If you enter zip code 32836 you will find several options for the Downtown Disney area (key address is on Apopka Vineland Road or Irlo Bronson Hwy if you are staying in Celebration). We always buy certificates for Giordano's pizza whenever they go on sale and take them with us. If you are like us and love true Chicago pizza...you know the stuffed pizza with layers and layers of cheese and a lid of crust and more cheese...I would suggest getting one or two! We often get the $10 certificate for $2 (with a sale). Make sure you read the fine print. You often have to spend a certain amount at the restaurant and will also have to pay 18% gratuity, but we still walk out of there saving a ton of money!
If anyone else knows of great e-clubs, or other ways to save at Orlando area restaurants I would love to hear your tips as well. We are always looking for new ways to save a buck at Disney!
Monday, April 23, 2012
Want to win a $100 Disney gift card?
I thought that might get your attention! If you want to try to win one yourself, check out this link: blog.dvcrequest.com/?p=120. I have been a subscriber to their emails for a while now, and they just started a new blog recently as well. The original site was set up as a place to go to buy and sell Disney Vacation Club points. I have looked into doing it several times,but so far the dates haven't worked out with where I wanted to stay. Hopefully one day though! Check them out and while you are there, register for your chance to win! Good luck!
Monday, April 16, 2012
Review of All Star Music Resort
As most of you know, we took a trip to the World over Spring Break. Man, was it crowded! I didn't realize how spoiled we were with crowds over fall break in October! However, with a little planning (and the blessing of not having to rush to see everything since we were just there in October), we survived, and of course had a great trip.
As I have posted in the past, we almost always stay at Value resorts on our trips as we like to stay as long as possible. We would rather stay cheap, and stay longer. So, that is where we usually stay. Up until now, I have been a big fan of Values. We usually spend most of our days at the parks, and are usually only at the resorts for breakfast, late night swimming, and sleeping. With our family of three, room size isn't a true factor when deciding where to stay. Therefore, we are perfect candidates for Value resorts. After this past stay at All Star Music though, that may have all changed. Below I will try to outline a few of the issues that we had. Now, not all of them are huge issues, but when you combine them all together I can confidently say that I will never willingly stay at Music again. That statement actually makes me very sad as until this trip I had very fond memories of this resort. This is the resort we stayed at during our daughter's first trip to Disney World. Therefore, I was very excited about taking her back this time and re-experiencing everything with her again (six and a half years later). I only wish that the experience would have been as great as I had built it up to be in my mind!
Our first minor issue occurred with check in. Let me first say that the check in process was great! I am used to staying at Pop Century which is always super busy. The lines can get long during peak check in times, and the only times I have had a fast check in there is when we check in early in the morning. When we got to Music around 1:00 pm, I walked right up and requested my packet. Since I had done online check in a few days before our trip, our packet was all ready to go, and our room was even available (I was shocked)! So, we get in the car and we head to our room. We looked at the map and headed towards what we thought was our room. However, we got turned around as the map wasn't super clear and there are a few different ways to go when you leave Melody Hall (the main building). Since all three All Star Resorts are together (and all look very similar), it is easy to get confused. Alas, we got back on track and headed to our room....which was way in the back of the resort. Which is part of my first issue. When you do online check in, you can select a few options as room requests. These are not guaranteed to be granted, but in the past we have always had at least one of the two requests granted. I had selected ground floor and near the main building. We had a second floor room almost as far away from the main building as possible. However, we were in the Broadway section which was a very cool themed area and our room was on the end so I quickly reminded myself that the requests aren't guaranteed so it wasn't a big deal. At least we were in the building next to the piano pool (not the main pool, but this one is usually quieter). So, I was happy. Then we looked at the pool....there were construction walls around it and the water was drained. Wish I would have known that when I booked the room, or at least been told that at check in. That meant that every person in the hotel would be using the one main pool. Not too happy at this point, but again, told myself it wasn't a big deal. I didn't go to Disney to swim, I went to enjoy the parks. Again, reminded myself it wasn't worth being upset over.
Then we went into the room and started to put our stuff on the bed. I looked at one of the beds and thought it had a dip in the mattress, but figured it was just because maybe my daughter must have set a bag in that spot, then moved it. Truthfully, I forgot all about it until later that night when we settled into bed. I could actually feel the dip. It was very awkward, and hard to comfortably sleep around. Luckily, the next night I had the bed to myself so I was able to sleep on the other side of the mattress. So again, not too big a deal for most nights of the trip. It was an issue that could be worked around.
The next night, we headed back to the hotel to clean up before going off property for dinner. As we were walking to our car we were surrounded by a massive throng of kids heading to the parking lot. I am not exaggerating the massive size of the group. There were so many of them that they filled five (maybe more) tour buses. Normally this wouldn't be a big deal, but we were stuck in the parking lot for several minutes while they all crossed the roads and loaded the buses, a few of which were parked in the road. Once we finally started moving, we hit another huge group who were just standing in the middle of the road. Ummmm....hello! The worst part is that there were adults in the group who just looked at us. Finally, we got past them and headed to dinner. All was forgotten....until they returned late that night. Around 11:00 that night some of these same kids were running around the building across from us, knocking on doors, and screaming and laughing. This went on for about 15 minutes. Now, I know that this is not the resorts fault. This solely lies on the adults who were supposedly supervising these kids. However, it was very inconvenient for us and the noise was truly unacceptable in my mind. I didn't like the fact that several days while we were there we saw large groups of teenagers checking in. I know that they have to stay somewhere, but I just wish I had known this before checking in. I would have stayed somewhere else.
Our final straw for this resort happened one morning while we were brushing our teeth. My daughter and I were both brushing at the same time so about two or three iches water was standing in the sink (the sink had been draining slow and appeared clogged all week, but it wasn't anything too bad for us to complain). Although it was gross for me to see with my poor gag reflex, it wasn't too bad....until the hair dryer fell into that water! I had been having issues putting the hair dryer back into the holder in the wall all week long, but again never thought much of it. It seemed to just be a little loose and no big deal. Then, out of nowhere while we were brushing our teeth it fell into the sink. My eight year old daughter reflexively grabbed the hair dryer out of the sink....while it was still plugged in! Remember, there were a few inches of water in that sink. That could have been really really ugly. She could have been electrocuted. Poor thing thought she had done something wrong when I screamed no! She just didn't realize what had happened, or more importantly what could have happened. That was my final straw.
That afternoon I stopped by the main desk and asked to talk to a manager. The employee I talked to was super friendly and went straight to the manager at the other end to tell him I needed to talk to him. He looked at me, then proceeded to finish what he was doing on the laptop in his arms (I am fine with that). Once he was ready, he walked to where I was standing, still continuing to hold his laptop in his arms. He was nice enough and asked how he could help me. I was very calm and nice and just simply listed all of the issues I had been experiencing with the room that week. I started with the pool being closed, included info on the visibly sagging mattress, talked about the horrible noise of the teens near us, and ended with the hair dryer in the sink experience. The only part that got his attention was when I blatantly said it was a safety hazard and my eight year old could have been electrocuted. He asked my room number and told me he would have the mattress, sink, and hairdryer issues addressed with housekeeping. I am sure that he apologized, but it definitely wasn't overwhelmingly heartfelt or memorable. I didn't expect anything from him, and wouldn't even have said anything had it not been for the hairdryer incident. I didn't want any child (or adult) to face being electrocuted in the future. I just wish he would have been a little more convincing in his apology, or at the least, he would have put his laptop down and acted like he cared about what I had to say. I know he was probably busy, but still we are talking about basic customer service! However, by the time we had returned to our room there was a new drain in our sink. The hairdryer was still loose though, and the mattress still sagging. Although I didn't expect the mattress to be replaced, I had hoped for a new hairdryer. I can only hope that those issues were corrected before the next guess checked in.
One final thing I must mention is that if you are relying solely on buses to get you to and from the resorts, you may want to rethink any of the All Star resorts. In the mornings and at night, they all seem to have their own buses. However, during the day they share buses. The bus will first stop at All Star Sports, then continue to Music, and finally stop at Movies. As you can imagine, that can take a while in the afternoon if you are trying to get to a park. Sometimes, the bus fills up at the first stop or two, and therefore never makes it to Music, or Movies. Also, coming back to the resort can take a while if you are the last stop. There is also a lot of shuffling of people around the bus at each stop as people make room for those trying to get on or off the bus. One of the days we were there we were leaving Magic Kingdom in the late afternoon to head back to the hotel. At Magic Kingdom, each resort does have their own stop coming or going and luckily doesn't have to stop at each resort. Apparently, even during peak season, they only run one bus a day though which can take a while to make its loop. So, we waited about 40 minutes for a bus to head back to the resort. Had we known it would be that long, we would have hopped on the bus that had arrived 30 minutes earlier for All Star Sports and walked to our resort. If you are staying at All Star Resorts I strongly suggest driving to and from the parks (except Magic Kingdom as this one is about the same even with the long waits since you have to take the monorail or ferry over anyway from the parking lot). If you won't have access to your own car, stay at Sports as it is the first stop on the loop. You will definitely get a seat when you are headed to the parks, and you won't feel like cattle when you return to the resort as you are shuffled around the bus as people get on and off!
So, those are all my reasons for not wanting to ever stay at All Star Music again. I have stayed at All Star Music, All Star Movies, and Pop Century and hands down I stand behind an earlier belief that Pop Century is the best Value resort. However, as much as I hate to think about it, we are staying at All Star Sports in October as that is the only one we have not stayed at. After this past trip I am definitely not looking forward to it, but my daughter has convinced me to give it a try. I think she is tired of Pop Century and wants to try something new. Our only other option for value is the All Star Movies resort, but due to the fact that it is the third stop on the bus routes after Sports and Music, I can't stand the thought of trying to use the buses for 10 days. So, as much as I love the theming at Movies, it is not worth it to me to spend hours of my day waiting for buses to and from the parks.
I must remind you that this is solely my opinion on the All Star Music resort and was based off of one stay. I truly hope that it was just a comedy of errors that alligned just right to make our stay less than magical and that everyone else will enjoy a stay here. I however, hope to not have to find out if it can get better. I will stick with Pop Century, or hopefully, moderates in the future.
As I have posted in the past, we almost always stay at Value resorts on our trips as we like to stay as long as possible. We would rather stay cheap, and stay longer. So, that is where we usually stay. Up until now, I have been a big fan of Values. We usually spend most of our days at the parks, and are usually only at the resorts for breakfast, late night swimming, and sleeping. With our family of three, room size isn't a true factor when deciding where to stay. Therefore, we are perfect candidates for Value resorts. After this past stay at All Star Music though, that may have all changed. Below I will try to outline a few of the issues that we had. Now, not all of them are huge issues, but when you combine them all together I can confidently say that I will never willingly stay at Music again. That statement actually makes me very sad as until this trip I had very fond memories of this resort. This is the resort we stayed at during our daughter's first trip to Disney World. Therefore, I was very excited about taking her back this time and re-experiencing everything with her again (six and a half years later). I only wish that the experience would have been as great as I had built it up to be in my mind!
Our first minor issue occurred with check in. Let me first say that the check in process was great! I am used to staying at Pop Century which is always super busy. The lines can get long during peak check in times, and the only times I have had a fast check in there is when we check in early in the morning. When we got to Music around 1:00 pm, I walked right up and requested my packet. Since I had done online check in a few days before our trip, our packet was all ready to go, and our room was even available (I was shocked)! So, we get in the car and we head to our room. We looked at the map and headed towards what we thought was our room. However, we got turned around as the map wasn't super clear and there are a few different ways to go when you leave Melody Hall (the main building). Since all three All Star Resorts are together (and all look very similar), it is easy to get confused. Alas, we got back on track and headed to our room....which was way in the back of the resort. Which is part of my first issue. When you do online check in, you can select a few options as room requests. These are not guaranteed to be granted, but in the past we have always had at least one of the two requests granted. I had selected ground floor and near the main building. We had a second floor room almost as far away from the main building as possible. However, we were in the Broadway section which was a very cool themed area and our room was on the end so I quickly reminded myself that the requests aren't guaranteed so it wasn't a big deal. At least we were in the building next to the piano pool (not the main pool, but this one is usually quieter). So, I was happy. Then we looked at the pool....there were construction walls around it and the water was drained. Wish I would have known that when I booked the room, or at least been told that at check in. That meant that every person in the hotel would be using the one main pool. Not too happy at this point, but again, told myself it wasn't a big deal. I didn't go to Disney to swim, I went to enjoy the parks. Again, reminded myself it wasn't worth being upset over.
Then we went into the room and started to put our stuff on the bed. I looked at one of the beds and thought it had a dip in the mattress, but figured it was just because maybe my daughter must have set a bag in that spot, then moved it. Truthfully, I forgot all about it until later that night when we settled into bed. I could actually feel the dip. It was very awkward, and hard to comfortably sleep around. Luckily, the next night I had the bed to myself so I was able to sleep on the other side of the mattress. So again, not too big a deal for most nights of the trip. It was an issue that could be worked around.
The next night, we headed back to the hotel to clean up before going off property for dinner. As we were walking to our car we were surrounded by a massive throng of kids heading to the parking lot. I am not exaggerating the massive size of the group. There were so many of them that they filled five (maybe more) tour buses. Normally this wouldn't be a big deal, but we were stuck in the parking lot for several minutes while they all crossed the roads and loaded the buses, a few of which were parked in the road. Once we finally started moving, we hit another huge group who were just standing in the middle of the road. Ummmm....hello! The worst part is that there were adults in the group who just looked at us. Finally, we got past them and headed to dinner. All was forgotten....until they returned late that night. Around 11:00 that night some of these same kids were running around the building across from us, knocking on doors, and screaming and laughing. This went on for about 15 minutes. Now, I know that this is not the resorts fault. This solely lies on the adults who were supposedly supervising these kids. However, it was very inconvenient for us and the noise was truly unacceptable in my mind. I didn't like the fact that several days while we were there we saw large groups of teenagers checking in. I know that they have to stay somewhere, but I just wish I had known this before checking in. I would have stayed somewhere else.
Our final straw for this resort happened one morning while we were brushing our teeth. My daughter and I were both brushing at the same time so about two or three iches water was standing in the sink (the sink had been draining slow and appeared clogged all week, but it wasn't anything too bad for us to complain). Although it was gross for me to see with my poor gag reflex, it wasn't too bad....until the hair dryer fell into that water! I had been having issues putting the hair dryer back into the holder in the wall all week long, but again never thought much of it. It seemed to just be a little loose and no big deal. Then, out of nowhere while we were brushing our teeth it fell into the sink. My eight year old daughter reflexively grabbed the hair dryer out of the sink....while it was still plugged in! Remember, there were a few inches of water in that sink. That could have been really really ugly. She could have been electrocuted. Poor thing thought she had done something wrong when I screamed no! She just didn't realize what had happened, or more importantly what could have happened. That was my final straw.
That afternoon I stopped by the main desk and asked to talk to a manager. The employee I talked to was super friendly and went straight to the manager at the other end to tell him I needed to talk to him. He looked at me, then proceeded to finish what he was doing on the laptop in his arms (I am fine with that). Once he was ready, he walked to where I was standing, still continuing to hold his laptop in his arms. He was nice enough and asked how he could help me. I was very calm and nice and just simply listed all of the issues I had been experiencing with the room that week. I started with the pool being closed, included info on the visibly sagging mattress, talked about the horrible noise of the teens near us, and ended with the hair dryer in the sink experience. The only part that got his attention was when I blatantly said it was a safety hazard and my eight year old could have been electrocuted. He asked my room number and told me he would have the mattress, sink, and hairdryer issues addressed with housekeeping. I am sure that he apologized, but it definitely wasn't overwhelmingly heartfelt or memorable. I didn't expect anything from him, and wouldn't even have said anything had it not been for the hairdryer incident. I didn't want any child (or adult) to face being electrocuted in the future. I just wish he would have been a little more convincing in his apology, or at the least, he would have put his laptop down and acted like he cared about what I had to say. I know he was probably busy, but still we are talking about basic customer service! However, by the time we had returned to our room there was a new drain in our sink. The hairdryer was still loose though, and the mattress still sagging. Although I didn't expect the mattress to be replaced, I had hoped for a new hairdryer. I can only hope that those issues were corrected before the next guess checked in.
One final thing I must mention is that if you are relying solely on buses to get you to and from the resorts, you may want to rethink any of the All Star resorts. In the mornings and at night, they all seem to have their own buses. However, during the day they share buses. The bus will first stop at All Star Sports, then continue to Music, and finally stop at Movies. As you can imagine, that can take a while in the afternoon if you are trying to get to a park. Sometimes, the bus fills up at the first stop or two, and therefore never makes it to Music, or Movies. Also, coming back to the resort can take a while if you are the last stop. There is also a lot of shuffling of people around the bus at each stop as people make room for those trying to get on or off the bus. One of the days we were there we were leaving Magic Kingdom in the late afternoon to head back to the hotel. At Magic Kingdom, each resort does have their own stop coming or going and luckily doesn't have to stop at each resort. Apparently, even during peak season, they only run one bus a day though which can take a while to make its loop. So, we waited about 40 minutes for a bus to head back to the resort. Had we known it would be that long, we would have hopped on the bus that had arrived 30 minutes earlier for All Star Sports and walked to our resort. If you are staying at All Star Resorts I strongly suggest driving to and from the parks (except Magic Kingdom as this one is about the same even with the long waits since you have to take the monorail or ferry over anyway from the parking lot). If you won't have access to your own car, stay at Sports as it is the first stop on the loop. You will definitely get a seat when you are headed to the parks, and you won't feel like cattle when you return to the resort as you are shuffled around the bus as people get on and off!
So, those are all my reasons for not wanting to ever stay at All Star Music again. I have stayed at All Star Music, All Star Movies, and Pop Century and hands down I stand behind an earlier belief that Pop Century is the best Value resort. However, as much as I hate to think about it, we are staying at All Star Sports in October as that is the only one we have not stayed at. After this past trip I am definitely not looking forward to it, but my daughter has convinced me to give it a try. I think she is tired of Pop Century and wants to try something new. Our only other option for value is the All Star Movies resort, but due to the fact that it is the third stop on the bus routes after Sports and Music, I can't stand the thought of trying to use the buses for 10 days. So, as much as I love the theming at Movies, it is not worth it to me to spend hours of my day waiting for buses to and from the parks.
I must remind you that this is solely my opinion on the All Star Music resort and was based off of one stay. I truly hope that it was just a comedy of errors that alligned just right to make our stay less than magical and that everyone else will enjoy a stay here. I however, hope to not have to find out if it can get better. I will stick with Pop Century, or hopefully, moderates in the future.
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