Pre-Trip Let's Take a Revote, a First Visit, a Birthday, and Who's Edward?!?

Hello everyone! When I last left off of planning our trip for 2014, we ended up having to cancel because of baby number 3 being born about a month before we were going to go! We had decided that we were gonna try the DL resort in the spring! My wife and kids all had never been. My sister was going to tag along too! It was going to be cheaper to go to Cali for a week than WDW. We then got a pin code! I did the numbers and a FL trip would end up costing the same. Well a few weeks ago when we starting planning my wife goes to me, "let's take a Revote and see what everyone wants to do!"

"What do u mean Revote?"

"If you want to go to Disneyland in California raise your hand!" Me and my son Landon wanted DL.

"Now who wants Disney World in FL?" Herself, my youngest son (trader) and my sister all said FL! I lost

I was bummed but I understand what my wife was saying. She wanted the DL trip to be special and for all the kids to be old enough to really enjoy it! Ok, I can understand that.

So I immediately went online and started grabbing ADRs for our trip, and to our surprise, so much was still available! I was shocked. The only place we couldn't get into was Be Our Guest. And everything we wanted we got and it was at about the 145 day mark!

Need to excuse myself to change a diaper and take care of baby, but will be back with more!

 

[stevehousse]

Ugh my whole post just got lost!

 

[stevehousse]

Ok, so back on with all these open ADRs! It honestly was ADR heaven! Lmao

I don't think I have ever been able to get every single place we wanted to in one sweep like that! I hope that was meaning for very low crowds! (We have been this time a year several times now and always have success with it) CRT was even avalable multiple times throughout the week! Since we wanted CRT but needed to use credits to book we went ahead said we would wait to book! As much as we wanted to finally try and eat there, no way was I gonna drop $300 for a restaurant that I wont eat in for 6 months!

As of today, we are finally booked! Even though I'm still salty about the whole DL thing, I do love planning wdw vacations!

When: May 5-12, 2015
Where: Caribbean Beach Resort (room discount with pin code)
What: regular dining plan and 5 day tickets
Who: Me, Steve(dad of 3), my wife Megan, Landon (6), Declan (3 1/2), Kinley (7 months old at time of travel), and my sister Jade (15).

We are excited to stay at CBR as it will be a new resort for us! I know the reviews really go back and forth on the resort, but honestly, who could pass up brand new rooms that are about finished being renovated and the price discount for the pin code with the resort price was a steal! Score!

My booking though had its ups and downs! Stay tuned...

 

[stevehousse]

Yay Steve!! I'm staying at CBR in January.

Love those pin codes. If you really want BOG, you can try a sniper as well.

How's the baby?

Baby is doing well! We r just gonna do BOG lunch instead! We did lunch 2 trips ago an it was good!

Do u know if u r in a renovated room at all? We were able to book the new rooms! Can't wait to here how te resort is! I'm assuming your gonna do another trip report? I enjoyed the last one!

 

[R W B]

What made a DL trip cheaper then a WDW trip? Are you closer to DL?

 

[stevehousse]

What made a DL trip cheaper then a WDW trip? Are you closer to DL?

We were gonna stay at a good neighbor hotel across the street vs a Disney resort. With our pin code we recieved, the price of the wdw vacation went way down! So it was then cheaper to go to FL. I live in Wisconsin.

 

[stevehousse]

Ok so as for my booking went...I really wish I remebered these people's names! LOL when I first called and inquired about numbers $$, a lovely woman Walked me through everything, have her my pin code, she have me numbers of the resorts we were interested in, and I told her I would be calling back next week to book. Skip to Monday, Dec 15, I called back to book.

I spoke with a black woman who had an attitude and also didn't know what the heck she was talking about! I shouldn't know more than the person trying to book our vacation!!! First, she kept telling me I couldn't use the pin because it was under my wife's name. My wife's name and mine are linked together. She kept going on and on about how it won't work. My wife always gets pin codes and having booked several times with them, I knew it was possible. Ok so she was going to now "let me" use the pin code. Next was the resorts. This crazy lady kept trying to give me presidential and club level suites for everything! After the secon resort she told me Poly would be $17,000 I asked her what exactly she was looking at because I called a week ago and these options are completely different than before. She had me hold. She came back and barks at me, "WHO IS EDWARD?"

"Edward? I have no idea, no one we have traveled with is named Edward!"

"Sir, it says there is an Edward attached to this pin code along with our wife."

"I'm sorry but you don't know what you are talking about. We don't know anyone named Edward."

"Please hold". She came back a minute later. My this time my blood and patience was boiling!

" so I asked about port Orleans and CBR. Had her check Port Orleans first. I Asked to check then resort that had the trundle bed and 2 queens.

"Sir, you have to select 2 rooms as these rooms are for a max of 4 people."

"What about the rooms that fit up to 5/6 people with an infant I asked you to look into?"

"Sir, you cannot book these as they are for a max of 4 people."

"Lady, I'm sorry, but everything you have said during our conversation had been the complete opposite of what I was just told last week. You do not know what you are talking about!" I hung up! I was beyond frustrated.

I called back a few minutes later and got someone who knew exactly what tood and knew her information! Got us all booked and squared away and I thanked her and told her that I had to hang up and call back. I did do the survey for her!

 

[Californian Elitist]

I have to ask, why did you mention the woman you were speaking to was black?

 

[stevehousse]

I have to ask, why did you mention the woman you were speaking to was black?

I was just describing who I was talking to.

 

[stevehousse]

So after the successful booking I got transferred to dining to book our CRT ADR. We got a 715pm dinner reservation and it was Mothers Day! I would have assumed the park would be very crowded that day and was almost thinking of changing our itinerary to do Our second day at MK on a different day. With the final ADR in place we were ready to go and my kids are anxiously awaiting their Mickey mail!

Te next morning my wife texted me while I was at work.

"I don't want to do CRT for dinner anymore"

Really I thought?

She goes "I want to do breakfast instead because I like that menu more."

So I went on the website and was able to get a breakfast ADR instead! Again, shocked that there was so much availability because I have neve seen it, not even when we had gone during the same time for years!

UPDATED ITINERARY AS OF 2/2/15

Here is our itinerary

Tues May 5, 2015
-fly into MCO an take the ME to CBR
-swim and lunch at resort
-Dinner: Earl of Sandwich
-DTD

Wed May 6, 2015
-Hollywood Studios
-Landon Jedi Training
-Early Lunch- Pizza Planet
-Back to Hollywood Studios
-Dinner: Jedi Mickey Star Wars Dinner at Hollywood and Vine with Fantasmic package

Thurs May 7, 2015
-Magic Kingdom (EMH morning)
-Lunch: Be Our Guest QS
-Dinner: Caseys Corner QS

Fri May 8, 2015
-Breakfast: Kona Cafe (our new fav place)
-Epcot (EMH evening)
-Dinner: Garden Grill
- Illuminations and the EMH.

Sat May 9, 2015
-Resort Day! No plans, really...
Breakfast- QS at resort
-mini golf / swimming
-Dinner: Chef Mickey's

Sun May 10, 2015
-Magic Kingdom
-Breakfast: Cinderella Royal Table
-Dinner: Ohana

Mon May 11, 2015
Breakfast: 1900 Park Fare
Animal Kingdom

Tues May 12,2015
-Leave to go back home

So a few old favorites as a few new places! Let me know what you think!

 

[stevehousse]

Great schedule - so many good options on there! Did you look at flights yet? SW has some good rates.

Yes they have great rates right now, but I am not able to book those yet due to Xmas expenses...

 

[stevehousse]

Yay! 100 days to go! Can't believe we are about down to double digits finally! LOL

My itinerary has been slightly updated as well. I am just waiting for my tax return to come through so I can book flights. I wish I could have booked earlier as they really did have some stellar deals for travel but with Xmas and such, plane tickets weren't really my focus. The flights that I want r still cheap so let's just cross our fingers that they stay available and cheap!

We also have decided to probably do a couple of days of themed r shirts! Our DHS day will be Star Wars shirts. My wife got the baby this really cute print to make a little sun dress out of that is Star Wsrs print! We are still trying to figure out a theme shirt for one of our MK days.

And Lastly, I have yet to receive any kind of Mickey mail? I usually get sent something right after we book, but we have nothing so far

Only 40 more days to go till FP selection!!!

 

[stevehousse]

I'd be looking for it to come soon - you should get the book with all the dates.

Thanks!

And also southwest flights I wanted, price went down again!!! My tax return will be in my account on the 30th so I wil be able to purchase and pay the rest of my trip off!!! So exciting!

 

[stevehousse]

Milwaukee International. I live right on the border of IL and WI so I have 2 airports that I am in the middle of travel distance.

And I just found a 5 piece luggage set on sale for $59.99 and an extra 10% promo code! $53 dollars for a 5 piece luggage set!

 

[mrdrift]

Sorry you were out voted with regards to Disneyland. The plans and ADR's sound really exciting and a ton of fun for the kids. Hope the flights stay cheap so when your ready to purchase that expense will be small like your planning. Will be watching for more details.

 

[Allym146]

Man, good thing you got a nice white person when you called back who knew what they were talking about!

 

[stevehousse]

Man, good thing you got a nice white person when you called back who knew what they were talking about!

Exactly! Thank god!

 

[disneypearl]

Looks like great plans! We'll be leaving just a couple days before you arrive. I love having a trip to look forward to.

 

[stevehousse]

Looks like great plans! We'll be leaving just a couple days before you arrive. I love having a trip to look forward to.

Me too! I can't wait for tomorrow! My tax return should be in so I can finally purchase flights and pay the rest of our Disney tab off!

Actually, does anyone know if there will be deeper discounts on flights? All the sales are for up to march, and I haven't seen anything yet about April or May!

 

[FlaggNL]

Sorry for the voring out, but great plans for your trip! Enjoy the pre feelings!!