What would you do?

[Maggie73]

I need help figuring out what to do.

I had our trip all planned out for December 14-25. There are five of us going....me, DD19, DSIL28, DS17 and DD14. We have booked a 3/2 condo at Windsor Hills, had planned on buying 1 Annual Pass (for discount/free parking/return trip), a TiW card and tickets to Disney Quest. The total cost for this came out to $4548 including an estimated $1250 for food (included 1 CS or TS per day and groceries for the house).

NOW, Disney has gone and thrown a lovely wrench in our plans....FREE DINING FOR DECEMBER 2011 :RpS_flapper:
So I priced out booking 2 rooms at the Pop, putting me and DD14 in one room and DS17, DD19 and DSIL28 in another.

The cost for this with FREE QS Dining comes to $4334.73 with 5 passes to Disney Quest ($215). This will save $213.27, although we will have to figure a little money for laundry and mousekeeping. We will have to hire a taxi to go to Walmart once in our trip and won't have a fridge. We will have transportation to the parks and to and from airport, the ability to charge to the room and ship stuff back to room...not to mention total Disney immersion) Also, I might still want to pay OOP for one special meal at a TS restaurant.

OR

We could upgrade the dining to the Regular Dining Plan and the cost would be $4939.73 with the DQ passes (plus needing tip money, mousekeeping, laundry money) This would probably end up being a little to high in my opinion.

What would you do?

[Janine]

That's a tough one.
10 days in a hotel room is a long time, it would be nice to have the room of a 3BR condo. I would get tired of eating QS for 10 days, and not even having a fridge for snacks.

But... being on site is nice.

I think I'd stay with the condo.

[Brandie]

Maggie, what do you usually do? Are most of your vacations in hotel rooms, or condos/villas. That might make the difference.

When we travel, we usually have a fridge, separate sleeping quarters, laundry facilities. I don't know if I could spend an entire trip in a hotel room even if the food was free. If a hotel is what I was used to, I would probably be thrilled with the free dining offer you are considering.

[3Caballeros]

Since you asked for an opinion, I think the money saved isn't as valuable as the comfort of that condo. I vote CONDO!

[bnoble]

All other things being equal, I'd rather be in a condo than in two Value rooms. It is also possible that you'd lose your deposit on the condo.

[Maggie73]

Maggie, what do you usually do? Are most of your vacations in hotel rooms, or condos/villas. That might make the difference.

When we travel, we usually have a fridge, separate sleeping quarters, laundry facilities. I don't know if I could spend an entire trip in a hotel room even if the food was free. If a hotel is what I was used to, I would probably be thrilled with the free dining offer you are considering.

We have only gone on ONE vacation and that was last Christmas. There were four of us in one room (DD19, DD14, a family friend and I) and we stayed at CSR for 11 nights. We were fine (minus the fact that my friend has mental problems lol). We weren't in the room much....just to sleep....never even watched TV.

I have absolutely no problem being in a room with my DD14 (she and I live in a huge house alone and she is ALWAYS in my room anyway).....and DD19 and her husband and my son will be fine in a room as well. DD19 and my son in law pretty much stay in a 9x9 room at her FIL's house 90% of the time. The room at Pop might be a palace compared to that...if we stay at Pop, we'll try to get connecting rooms....so that should help it feel bigger.

As far as the roominess goes...it's a non-issue....although the laundry facilities are a big plus in the condo's favor.

[Maggie73]

All other things being equal, I'd rather be in a condo than in two Value rooms. It is also possible that you'd lose your deposit on the condo.

The condo deposit is fully refundable. I guess I'm just gonna have to make a pros/cons list...lol

[loribell]

Personally I would stay onsite and not have to worry about transportation issues. Have you prices what CSR would cost you with QS? Eating QS there is different then eating QS most other places. The mods also have refrigerators in the rooms and values do not if I'm not mistaken. As for groceries you can order online from some places and have it delivered to your room instead of renting a car.

[Claire]

I just love being immersed into Disney magic and yes, the buses have their issues but I love being carted around!

[lisapennie]

This might be a question you don't want to think about the answer to - but is it possible that your daughter and her husband might want to be in a room alone for some romantic time? Sharing a room with your son is going to make that completely impossible for the entire trip, and I'm just thinking that might be something that they want to be able to do.

[gorsh]

I think with the ages of the people in your group you will like having the Disney transportation option as opposed to all having to share a car. If someone wants to leave for a break they will have that option with the Disney transpo back to the Pop. As far as upgrading to regular dining, you need to figure out where you think you would eat if you didn't have a plan and decide if you would need/benefit from those TS credits...I'm thinking that if you think you would do 3 or more table service meals on your trip (which is easy to do!) you would benefit from upgrading. I think it sounds like a great deal for you guys. The price difference between your first plan and the regular dining plan at Pop really isn't that big of a difference when you spread it over 10 days. Besides, there is always the chance you may have underestimated your original food budget. If you still aren't sure, then really think about what meals you would make at the condo, and exactly where you would eat out and then budget from there. You can see the menus w/prices here:

http://allears.net/menu/menus.htm (http://allears.net/menu/menus.htm)

[debbs0723]

This might be a question you don't want to think about the answer to - but is it possible that your daughter and her husband might want to be in a room alone for some romantic time? Sharing a room with your son is going to make that completely impossible for the entire trip, and I'm just thinking that might be something that they want to be able to do.

Okay this made me laugh. It is SOOOOOO funny that you brought this up. I posted a question on the disboards a few days back on the offiste forum wondering about whether free dining changed people's minds. We are doing a 3 bedroom condo for the first time in our disney trips. The other two have been onsite. We are going for 9-10 days. Everybody really has a lot of opinions both ways. It would have actually saved us about $200 to stay on site at POFQ even with tips. We still rent a car no matter what. That is one of my husbands requirements. He was so much happier having our own car last time. Anyhooo...... I kept asking him over and over again why he wanted the condo and he finally said 3 reasons.

1.) I get tired of ADRS and eating at TS restaraunts. I want to snack around the world.
2.) I like the idea of all the space in the condo

and ...............
3.) For godsakes it is my vacation. I'd like to have sex with my wife for once instead of sharing a room with my kids for 9 nights.


Funny how nobody ever mentions this on the boards. We are all grownups after all.

Debbie

[bnoble]

I've been known to bring it up...obliquely.

[Bribren]

I always stay on site because only half of my vacation is in the 4 parks. I love the water parks. Why not do the water park Disney quest upgrade for $55 a ticket? Then you can go like 9 times if you want.

[breezy2]

That is a tough call. I love being onsite, and I agree the Disney transportation would make it much more enjoyable for your family. They are of an age where they can come and go as they please, but that cannot happen if noone has a car. I would like the extra space in a condo though.

[Maggie73]

This might be a question you don't want to think about the answer to - but is it possible that your daughter and her husband might want to be in a room alone for some romantic time? Sharing a room with your son is going to make that completely impossible for the entire trip, and I'm just thinking that might be something that they want to be able to do.

Actually it was my daughter's idea to have DS17 in there with them.

Besides....it wouldn't work any other way. My son is 6'4 and 295 lbs. Noone can share a bed with him.

I shared a queen with DD14 last year and it was miserable since she kicked me and straddled me all night, every night. So she needs her own bed too.

And really, the "married couple" would either have to my DD14 or my DS17 in there....or me, lol....if they want their own room, they can pay for their next trip, alone.

Besides, in all truth, they don't need any romantic time. I don't want any grandbabies from that union and i am counting the days until DD19 walks out on that marriage! :RpS_cursing:

[loribell]

Besides, in all truth, they don't need any romantic time. I don't want any grandbabies from that union and i am counting the days until DD19 walks out on that marriage! :RpS_cursing:

Been there, done that! Sorry you are having to go through it but I do have one very special granddaughter from it and wouldn't change that for anything even with all the headaches that have come along with that divorce and that wacko dad/ex-inlaws!

[Maggie73]

Well, of course if I was to have a grandbaby from that marriage, it wouldn't make me love the baby any less (I actually can't WAIT to be a grandma!) but since it hasn't happened....I would definitely rather my grandbaby have a daddy who will GET A JOB and who wasn't responsible for introducing my daughter to drugs (although they are off them for the time being). If there was a baby, I know who would be supporting it...ME!

I don't really know why I agreed to take SIL to Disney with us, other than the fact that my DD19 wants him to go and my DS17 acts more mature (and doesn't pick on DD14) around him for some reason. But I told him that if he didn't have a job SOON, I would pull him from the reservation and just eat the cost of his airfare. DD19 said she wants to go no matter what, even if I decide to leave his behind at home (true love, huh? lol)

I just have to see how it plays out....but something tells me it'll just be me and my kiddos.

[loribell]

Oh I know you would love that baby no matter what. I hope it didn't sound like you wouldn't. Sure didn't mean that. I was trying to let you know I totally understand. Good luck!

[peachygreen]

I would personally vote for the condo and more space. I like room to spread out and relax on vacation and honestly can't travel any other way. I also don't like to rely on Disney transportation and rent a car on all my trips to have the flexibilty to come and go as I please.
Free dining doesn't do much for me because I really don't want to eat park food for all my meals. I like being able to go the the grocery store and cook a meal or pack sandwiches or what not. It is a nice change to the offerings at the parks/resorts.

[CherylK]

Have done it both ways and I find that we are happier staying on-site when doing Disney. Price out 2 rooms at a moderate to see how much more it will cost you over the value. The free Disney Plus Dining makes it a little closer in price to a value resort package that you upgrade the dining plan. Sounds to me that you would have no problem in a hotel room for that many days.