Platinum Plan for Anniversary trip - crazy?

[jmanz]

I have gotten a quote from AAA for 5 nights at AKL, which gives us a 10% discount on the room portion of the package & I'm getting ready to put down the $200 deposit to hold the reservation. The trip isn't until Nov 26th.
That should buy me some time to consider if we should splurge...So, my next steps will be to work out an itinerary & see if we can fit in enough to make it worth it.

[pfalcioni]

I think if you are specifically going as a resort-type relaxing vacation, not so much to experience the rides but to experience everything else that DW has to offer (special tours, etc) then it makes some sense if you are big eaters.

[jmanz]

Not overeating is something we need to watch, Pam. It's so easy to do on that plan!
We have to remind ourselves that just because we can have it doesn't mean we should have it. I probably shouldn't book every meal.

[George]

I agree with Pam.

For our upcoming 9-day trip next month, we're going to do the *Premium Plan of the minimum period of 3nights/4days. I did a lot of number crunching before committing. For those four days, we'll mostly be doing tours, watersports, and TS dining We'll have nine meals each over four days, and the PP doesnt differentiate between Signature/regular/dinner shows. Signatures every night (Hoop one night). I planned to be there during the week Cirque is dark, since we have no interest in seeing it again, and will each receive a $90 gift card as a credit for that portion of the Plan. We'll also upgrade the one-day park pass (another $90) to DVC APs.

As for accommodations, we've rented points for an OKW studio (about $170/night) for the entire stay and have booked a FW campsite (the cheapest rack rate PP accommodation) for the three nights of the PP, at about $62/night. Even paying for this accommodation, we'll "spend" more on meals and tours than we're paying for the Plan.

Don't forget that while on any Plan which includes dining, 18% gratuity is added to almost every TS meal. We've taken care of this in a couple of cases, by reserving Hoop one night and CRT another afternoon, both of which include gratuity. Every little bit helps.

I think it's very difficult to maximize this plan the longer you're on it. It's difficult to keep up with all that eating, and there are only a finite number of tours. I'd suggest you consider trying the Plan for a portion of your stay, concentrating the Bog Money activities during those days, and taking advantage of room discounts during the non-plan nights. Separate reservations will be required if you do this.

*Same as Platinum, but does not include V&A's, spa treatments, or a couple of the more expensive (and time-consuming) tours.

[Nikel]

I don't know that I could keep up with getting my money's worth for 5 nights. We did a 1 night platinum stay in Dec, and I really think 3 nights would be my max. (FWIW though, we LOVED doing the platinum plan, and I'm really sad they've eliminated 1 night plans. I also wish they'd add some of the kids things - Wonderland Tea Party, Pirate cruises, etc. If they did, we'd totally do a 3 day premium stay.)

We are NOT big eaters, and the food almost did us in. In the 2 days (1 night), we did: breakfast in the room, QS at Sunshine Seasons, dinner at V&A, skipped breakfast, early lunch at Raglan Road, late dinner at Cali Grill. Other than breakfast that 1st morning, I didn't finish a single meal.)

[jmanz]

So far I've worked in Wishes Fireworks Cruise, V&A, La Nouba, Yuletide Tour, massages, mini golf. I want to find out if Lunch with an Imagineer at Brown Derby is included in plan.
Other dinners so far at Jiko, Wolfgang Puck, & Narcossee. We've never eaten at Wolfgang Puck so any comments welcome.
I wanted to try horseback riding, but DH doesn't seem interested. Maybe I can send him over to Richard Petty...

[goodferry]

I would look at some of the pricier tours and activities if you decide to do this, Dolphins in Depth for example. We did one night also in August of 2010 for our 20th anniversary, it was fun but very hectic. I agree that it would be tough for us to do 5 nights, but I would consider 3. We ate at Victoria and Albert's, Fulton's Crabhouse and Cinderella's Royal Table on the plan. We did the Train Tour, the Epcot Segway tour, parasailing, rented mouseboats, La Nouba, did the photo package (I don't think it's included anymore), a fireworks cruise and had massages. It was a crazy two days!

[jmanz]

We have already done Dolphins in Depth, Keys to the Kingdom, Backstage Safari, & parasailing so we are going for new stuff. DH doesn't want to do Backstage Magic, he thinks that's too long.
How was the Epcot Segway tour? He seemed interested in that. Or has anyone done the Seas Aqua tour?

[goodferry]

The Epcot Segway tour was lots of fun, I have also heard that the Segway tour at Fort Wilderness if fun too! How about lessons with a golf pro?

[jmanz]

Lessons with a golf pro is an interesting idea! I like that.
I added the Epcot Segway tour & the Aqua Seas tour, too.

[George]

Epcot Segway is great. You'll love it.

Backstage Magic is a wonderful tour, but takes 7+ hours, and includes lunch. Not a good use of time if you're trying to maximize your plan value. Unless you want to use your extra two dining credits to treat others to lunch or dinner at some point.

[goodferry]

How about Bass fishing?

[nolarookie]

Sounds like an awesome trip!

[jmanz]

Just fyi, AKL IPO confirmed for me that Dine with an Imagineer is NOT included in the Platinum Plan. Back to Sci-Fi for lunch that day

[goodferry]

How about just lunch at The Brown Derby even though you can't do the Dine with an Imagineer thing? It's one of the few signatures that serves lunch

[jmanz]

Funny you mention that!
We really like both, but I prefer Sci-Fi & DH favors Brown Derby. My reasoning for Sci-Fi is that I'll be less likely to order too much food there. I'm really trying not to do the "Platinum Plan stuffing"

[jmanz]

I was going to schedule our fireworks cruise for Wed 11/28, which is one of 2 nights they are showing Wishes fireworks, at 8 pm, while we are there.
But now I'm realizing that the MVMCP fireworks show may be an option for the cruise. Can anyone tell me if they think this would be better and what time they usually go off?

Josh's update to the Nov calendar just gave me the fireworks time at 9:30. I think I may switch my cruise night.

[wgwtgb]

I'm not sure what time they went off, but we saw the MVMCP fireworks last year, and I definitely think they are worth switching to.

[jmanz]

Well, another incentive to keep this trip, I just qualified for a $100 VISA card thru AAA for my booking.

[jmanz]

OK, I think I have worked out an itinerary for our trip:

Day 1:
Arrive am flight, check in AKL
EP
QS lunch
Seas Aqua Tour 12:30 pm
Flying Fish 7pm
Illuminations Fireworks Reserved Viewing 9:30 pm

Day 2:
Room Service bkfst
MK
Plaza 11 am
Narcossee's 6:30 pm
Fireworks cruise 8:45 pm

Day 3:
Room Service bkfst
HS
Sci-Fi 11 am
mini-golf
Osborne Lights
Jiko 8:30 pm

Day 4:
Boma bkfst
Yuletide Tour 8:45 am
MK? or golf lesson?
V&A 6:30 pm Anniversary dinner

Day 5:
Room Service bkfst
AK
Tusker House lunch 11 am
Massages Saratoga Springs Spa 3:30 pm
La Nouba 6pm
Wolfgang Puck 8pm

Day 6:
Room Service bkfst
Epcot Segway tour 7:45 am
EP
Lunch?
Go home on evening flight

[Grumpy]

Isn't room service a 2-TS hit? Or is that only for dinner?

[George]

Isn't room service a 2-TS hit? Or is that only for dinner?

On the Platinum and Premium Plans, they don't differentiate between one- and two-credit venues like they do on the other plans.

[Grumpy]

I see. We did the Premium Plan once about eight years ago. The only thing I remember about it is that it was waaaaay too much food, considering the amount of time we spent in the parks. We ended up blowing off 2 credits (x4 adults & 2 kids) on a four day trip.

The 3-night plan for 9 days is a stroke of genius, though.

[jmanz]

Wow, I logged into my Disney reservation at 7:12 am this morning (day 180) and my dining reservations were already there! Gotta love IPO

[jmanz]

Well, almost everything is booked. Wolfgang Puck is only showing availability for 9:30, which she says must be a glitch & she's going to keep trying until she gets it. Aqua Seas tour in Epcot is not available yet for booking.
She got us tremendous seats for La Nouba! Sec 204 Row AA seats 1 & 2. I'm very excited about that, I was worried where we would get seats.
Overall a much better IPO experience than my last one with GF IPO.