Crowded, Hot, and My Last June Trip

Just returned from a wonderful stay @ SS. The pools there are so very nice! The Turf Club is terrific food! Mousekeeping was fabulous! Never a worry.
HOWEVER , the parks are another story! I know Disney can't do anything about the weather, but the use of FPs is way out of control! CMs were not as kind and responsive as usual. TT was great until we waited an hour and the ride shut down. We had to leave the

queue. No FPs offered or anything!
DINNER @ Via Napoli was good. My pizza had great flavor. BTW the mezzo is a 3 TS credit. It was loud and hard to understand our waitress. The risotto balls were good, but you only get 3. The tiramisu was to die for though.
The parks were so crowded we weren't able to do all we wanted! We did enjoy riding Splash & Thunder during Wishes & we caught some of the later night parade. Little Mermaid wasn't anything special. Downpours didn't even clear out the park at all!!!!
Forget Brazilian Tour groups, the amount of large groups such as family reunions and graduates were the most I've ever seen!!!!!
Overall it was a nice short trip. I just noticed an overwhelming amount of people, and WDW just didn't seem prepared for it!
Pics later......

 

[Figgy1]

Don't shoot the messenger, but I just heard from somebody who was just over at DL and said the crowds there were not handled as well as at WDW. I hope when you get there it is at a slower time of year.

 

[flynnibus]

Thank you.
I actually looked at prices again!
A 6 nights 7 day stay @ Paradise Pier Hotel with a 5-day park hopper ticket ( we've never been so we want to see everything!) and 5 day meal plan ( just easier than cash) plus airfare & motorcoach ( there is a charge for this) total = $ 5,772.52! Keep in mind this is Dec 31 ( New Years Eve) through Jan 6!
We wanted to stay @ the Beach Club WDW at the same time with only 3 park days and that was actually more $$$.
So... I think I am able to convince my DH to take us.

Skip the meal plan - there is no value to it in DL and it just constrains you.
The hotel you really can stay elsewhere without much difference. It depends on what your desires are.. but the 'WDW inclusive' feel isn't there except for the two very expensive deluxe hotels. Staying at an adjacent hotel for ~$120/n or so and walking or riding ART to the parks is the way to go.
For transportation.. make sure you check all three airports.. john wayne, long beach, and LAX for which is best from where you travel to. For a group, a taxi can be cheaper than some of the motorcoach service. I think we paid like $40?? for the taxi from john wayne to DLR.

You can easily make up the difference in airfare costs with hotel costs. I would recommend doing more than DLR when in Cali tho.. that helps diffuse some of the WDW vs DLR cost comparisons.

 

[flynnibus]

Don't shoot the messenger, but I just heard from somebody who was just over at DL and said the crowds there were not handled as well as at WDW. I hope when you get there it is at a slower time of year.

crowd control is MUCH better in DLR... but DLR can get crowded alot. The difference is how they manage the crowd vs chaos... DLR wins there by a long shot.

 

[bethymouse]

i keep telling y'all May is the time to go.Plus you get two world renowned celebrities wandering the parks early in that month

Man- if I could go in May, I would. Sadly, at the moment I can't. Teacher laws in WV have become stricter as to when/how you can take leave.

 

[bethymouse]

Thank you @flynnibus.
I am looking into those options. I know that the motorcoach costs $ unlike @ WDW. I really don't want LAX, but if it's cheaper, why not? Grand Cal is just too expensive for us, although it would be ideal. I will look into "good neighbor" hotels.
The meal plan is even more complicated it seems than WDW.
Crowds? As long as it doesn't pour down rain everyday and has less or no humidity and not as hot, I'm in!

 

[englanddg]

Thank you @flynnibus.
I am looking into those options. I know that the motorcoach costs $ unlike @ WDW. I really don't want LAX, but if it's cheaper, why not? Grand Cal is just too expensive for us, although it would be ideal. I will look into "good neighbor" hotels.
The meal plan is even more complicated it seems than WDW.
Crowds? As long as it doesn't pour down rain everyday and has less or no humidity and not as hot, I'm in!

Check this place out...

http://www.anabellahotel.com/

It's just south of the park, and an easy walk.

 

[flynnibus]

Thank you @flynnibus.
I am looking into those options. I know that the motorcoach costs $ unlike @ WDW. I really don't want LAX, but if it's cheaper, why not?

Understand there is no Disney provided transportation from the hotels.. Disney just partners with greylines to let you book stuff if you book through Disney. The different airports impact the travel time required to get there.. the cost to get from there to DLR.. and of course the airfare cost. LAX is about an hour away.. John Wayne is about 20min. Depending on where you fly from, you can get directs to different airports.. or maybe connect through somewhere in the midwest. I wouldn't do a connection from the west coast just to get to the closer airport. We went in John Wayne last time and I liked it.. close enough for a taxi.. decent airport and not too crowded. I generally hate LAX.

There is no one answer for everyone.. but you can weigh the options. The closer airports = more time for Disney

I've stayed at the hotels at the convention center lots of times. They are fine hotels.. but they are not bargins for services (like food, etc). There are several favorites closer that are older but updated that people like.. like annabelle, desert inn, candy cane, hojo, etc.

I used lastminutetravel in Jan and got the Hilton for 353.72 for 4 nights everything included (but parking.. which we didn't use).

 

[bethymouse]

@flynnibus
Cool.
Thank you so very much!

 

[Blufusion]

I will stay at The Contemorary for 4 days in 2016. In Oct is best for me . last time I went to WDW and AK for the 1st time . I had a Heart Attack. I was taken very well by disney and Celebration hospital, And the price is no object for me at this time. just one of those bucket list things. For me we usually stay off site. Partner works for Marriott we get to stay at Marriotts properties for 75% of room rate. Great deal and it just a good as bing onsite. Saves us on Rooms and living in Fla helps with tickets. Now that I have a AARP card maybe that will help as well. We got to go to Hawaii right down the path from Disney Aulani at the Marriotts Ko Olina 5 Star Resort in a villa for 8 days and round trip airfare for 2 from Saint Petersburg Florida a rental car and a 1 hr helicopter ride over the island for a total cost of all of it not per person $4000.00 . Great perks for him working ther. But staying on site at WDW is my dream for me and it will happen just 3 more yrs.Hope you have a great time while there. Just one thing we did check into staying at the Aulani . I have seen it and it''s nice very nice but just for a room for thsoe 8 days would have been $1000.00 more than we paid for our whole trip.

 

[lilclerk]

Check this place out...

http://www.anabellahotel.com/

It's just south of the park, and an easy walk.

I stayed there in 2007! I'm sure it's gone through some changes since I was there so I won't share any pictures, but it wasn't a bad walk to/from the parks. I could see Paradise Pier from my room. The Anaheim Resort Transport was available too, if I was ever too tired/lazy to walk. There was a breakfast place (Denny's?) right nearby too, which was great on the way to the parks.

 

[bethymouse]

Thanks everyone! I think my hubby prefers to actually spend the $$$ and stay @ the Grand Californian!
He is so spoiled! LOL. We'll be able to save the $$$ for the next 6 months. It would be a dream vacation for me!

 

[bethymouse]

I will stay at The Contemorary for 4 days in 2016. In Oct is best for me . last time I went to WDW and AK for the 1st time . I had a Heart Attack. I was taken very well by disney and Celebration hospital, And the price is no object for me at this time. just one of those bucket list things. For me we usually stay off site. Partner works for Marriott we get to stay at Marriotts properties for 75% of room rate. Great deal and it just a good as bing onsite. Saves us on Rooms and living in Fla helps with tickets. Now that I have a AARP card maybe that will help as well. We got to go to Hawaii right down the path from Disney Aulani at the Marriotts Ko Olina 5 Star Resort in a villa for 8 days and round trip airfare for 2 from Saint Petersburg Florida a rental car and a 1 hr helicopter ride over the island for a total cost of all of it not per person $4000.00 . Great perks for him working ther. But staying on site at WDW is my dream for me and it will happen just 3 more yrs.Hope you have a great time while there. Just one thing we did check into staying at the Aulani . I have seen it and it''s nice very nice but just for a room for thsoe 8 days would have been $1000.00 more than we paid for our whole trip.

Oh My! I hope all is well w/ your health now.
Love Hawaii. It's my 2nd favorite place in the world except for Disney of course! We won't do Aulani as my hubby wants to stay on the island of Maui next time we go.
Enjoy the anticipation of your trip! You'll love the Contemporary and October is a great time to go!

 

[bethymouse]

BTW- now my DH is seemingly changing his mind on the whole trip!

 

[bethymouse]

OK- I must get my Disney fix and hubby knows it!
I have decided to ask to stay @ Howard Johnson which is #4 on Trip Advisor and much less $$$.
Pixie dust please......

 

[Californian Elitist]

BTW- now my DH is seemingly changing his mind on the whole trip!

Why is he changing his mind?

 

[Minnie1976]

Your DH is changing his mind on the DLR trip. We waited 29 years before we went back. I really enjoyed it. I hope we get to go back before we get too old. It isn't as big as WDW is, but I really enjoyed the attractions WDW no longer has and the attractions DLR has that WDW doesn't. DCA is great too. We stayed at I think it was Fairfield Marriott and never had to worry about transportation except getting there and leaving to go to the airport.

 

[bethymouse]

All of a sudden he tells me he may not have a job! Apparently rumors are flying around about production ( newspaper business). You know how rumors can be! He just didn't want to spend the $$$ to go on vacation since "we just got back". Well... 5 months is a ways away...
Then he tells me the Holy Spirit tell him to "wait". Yes. I know...
He shows me an email this morning from the owner of the newspaper that talks about " the bad weekend we had". Apparently many customers didn't receive their paper for 3 days. The newspaper itself has been around hundreds of years, but this is a new facility in an up and coming area ( Frederick County, Md.) They just have to "work out the bugs". Nothing of a complete shut down or anything!
Bottom line, I'm still trying to convince him.
I want to check out WDW prices for April 2014 also, so we'll see...
DL would be my "ideal" trip though.
Thanks for asking. Sorry about the long rant @raven24

 

[Figgy1]

All of a sudden he tells me he may not have a job! Apparently rumors are flying around about production ( newspaper business). You know how rumors can be! He just didn't want to spend the $$$ to go on vacation since "we just got back". Well... 5 months is a ways away...
Then he tells me the Holy Spirit tell him to "wait". Yes. I know...
He shows me an email this morning from the owner of the newspaper that talks about " the bad weekend we had". Apparently many customers didn't receive their paper for 3 days. The newspaper itself has been around hundreds of years, but this is a new facility in an up and coming area ( Frederick County, Md.) They just have to "work out the bugs". Nothing of a complete shut down or anything!
Bottom line, I'm still trying to convince him.
I want to check out WDW prices for April 2014 also, so we'll see...
DL would be my "ideal" trip though.
Thanks for asking. Sorry about the long rant @raven24

I hope all goes well with his job. We came home and my dh is getting 11 furlough days. We'll get through them ok but it will put off our planning for a while.

 

[bethymouse]

I hope all goes well with his job. We came home and my dh is getting 11 furlough days. We'll get through them ok but it will put off our planning for a while.

Oh dear figgy. I am so sorry to hear that. Pixie dust and hugs everywhere for you! It will get better. Hakuna Matata.

 

[Figgy1]

Oh dear figgy. I am so sorry to hear that. Pixie dust and hugs everywhere for you! It will get better. Hakuna Matata.

Thanks. It's only 11 days and it's one day a week. BTW I have a honey do list all ready to go. Because we took such a long trip he said he didn't know how much of it he'd get done this summer. Now it's going to be all of it! There's a silver lining in everything and I'm going to get my Disney themed bathroom!