Why Don't You Become a Travel Agent? Calling all trip planners. Updated 4/25

[MK2010]

Hi! Welcome to my pre-trip report. How about if we get the basics out of the way? My name is Jennifer and I'm the free “travel agent” for this trip. Except I'm not really. I'm not a travel agent and in this particular case I'm not doing it for free. Confused yet? Well, like most of us here I'm a Disney geek. (I hope you don't mind me calling you a geek....but I mean it's Disney...and you are spending your free time reading about someone else's plans...so......)


Oops, sorry. I have a tendency to get sidetracked. A lot. So anyway, I'm a Disney Geek. I always have the app open on my phone pricing out pretend vacations. (Don't act like you don't do it too.) One night at work my charge nurse announced, “Jennifer, I'm taking the family to Disney World. Plan the trip.” Well, okay then. No problem boss.(Yes, I can totally use my work time to plan your trip....see getting paid already!)After presenting several options, he then announced, “You know, I really just need a nanny for the kids anyway on this trip. Just plan on coming with us.” Alrighty then. Party of 7 here we come!
Now, this might strike you as odd, but this isn't the first family that I have taken to Disney World. I also accompanied a family back in 2011. I, myself, have been to Disney World 6 times (including the 2011 trip) and I have planned/booked a trip for 1 other family back in 2013. So, while I don't consider myself an expert (as you will soon see), I do know a thing or two about Disney World.

Our merry band of travelers for this trip include:
Jesse, my charge nurse, his wife Erika (sahm), and their 4 children, DD10, DS 9, and twin DD5. I am a 41 year old married, mother of 4. I work nights as a nurse tech at a mental health facility and am in nursing school (Graduating December 2017.

After MUCH debate (and I do mean much) we are going October 13-22 while I am on fall break. Previous dates included May 31-1, July 22-30, and August 6-12. I am tentatively optimistic that we have settled on staying in a 4 bedroom Presidential Suite at Wyndham Bonnet Creek. He isn't too happy about paying $4000 and not being able to guarantee a view looking out over the lagoon. I'm hoping to book through Ken Price and be able to rebook at 60 days out at the cheaper rate. Who wants to give me the odds on that happening? (No really, tell me what you think..).

This is a 5 minute video that takes you on a walk through. Or you can visit the We Loooooove Bonnet Creek Thread over on the Orlando Hotels and Attractions forum her on the DIS.

If we can't get a cheaper rate we may go with a 4 bedroom Dreams Villa. That only runs $800 for the 9 nights.

Soooo, while I know many things about Disney World this is your chance to chime in and plan a vacation. Cause there is also a lot I DON'T know. Or, at least, I can't make my mind up about! So join in and put all of you amateur travel agent skills to good use! I don't want to overwhelm you, so for now, that's all folks! Weigh in on the Bonnet Creek situation and I'll be back after Christmas with touring plans and such!

 

[MK2010]

Hi all! I want to thank everyone who is reading along. I have a love/hate relationship with writing these things. I love reading them and I delude myself into thinking that I can write one as enjoyable as the ones I read! But then, I get halfway through writing one and I'm like, "This is crap, nobody wants to read this!" So thank you to all who have stopped by!

I probably didn't update as soon as you all were expecting, but I'm here now! I heard back from Ken Price at Vacation Upgrades. We can't get a 4 bedroom Presidential because they are sold out!!!! There are only 32 4 bedrooms at Bonnet Creek and apparently they all are usually booked as soon as they are released at 10 months out. I love Bonnet Creek, so I'm sad that we won't be staying there. But, the price point at the Villas at Seven Dwarves Lane is INCREDIBLE! I think with taxes for 9 nights it came out to $1017. Now, boss man is making me nervous because we haven't actually booked yet and I'm afraid this deal is going to slip through our fingers. It isn't too far from Disney either. Its 5.4 miles or 10 minutes from Disney World property. So probably, 15-20 minutes from the theme parks.

The other change is the amount of days in the theme parks. We're going to do 5 days at Walt Disney World and we're adding on 2 days at Universal. Here's the current breakdown:
Friday: Arrival day! We will be leaving Amarillo early in the morning to catch an early afternoon flight to Orlando. We should arrive by 6. This will give us time to pick up a rental car, check in, and grab groceries at the Publix (or wherever) before calling it a night.
Saturday: MK
Sunday: Epcot in the morning and MNSSHP that evening.
Monday: IOA although we will have park to park tickets.
Tuesday: Rest Day. Jesse and Erika may have a date night at California Grill.
Wednesday: Hollywood Studios with lunch at T-Rex
Thursday: Animal Kingdom
Friday: Universal Studios
Saturday: Everybody picks their favorite ride. We are planning to upgrade the tickets to park hoppers on this day.
Sunday: We have an early flight out of MCO to Dallas. We should land by 11 am and then head home to Amarillo. We should make it back in time for dinner.

So here are a couple of questions for you. Has anyone upgraded to park hoppers in the middle of their stay? I just want to confirm that we will be able to upgrade on our last day. I am planning on upgrading my ticket on our first day to an Annual Pass.
My second question is what do you think of our day layout? Is it worth going to Universal? This is their first trip to the Orlando area. His brother convinced him that Universal Studios was AWESOME. However, they have never read nor seen the Harry Potter series. His twins are currently 41". I don't want to discourage the days at Universal, but it is $2000 more. Is there enough DIFFERENT experiences to be had there to make the expenditure worth it?

Thanks for weighing in!

 

[AngolaHeartsDisney]

My two cents as a mom- I have been on A LOT of Disney Trips and have been to universal with my friends only. I think for the ages of the children, in my opinion, not worth the extra cash unless they are thrill seekers I feel like the kids stuff is meh... not impressed at all.. you know it is not "super kid friendly" when you barely see any strollers... if they have never been to Disney, especially with the little kids,I think you need at least 2 - 3 days in Magic Kingdom to really "experience" it. Atmosphere, parades, fireworks and not rushing around with tired super cranky kids.

I have upgraded midway due to crowds and it was super simple. I also have upgraded to annual passes as well; however, I try to wait until the last day of my trip to hope for some pixie dust as the date of your annual pass will expire on the first day of your current vacation. Sometimes- they will put the date you renew but that is pixie dust only- they will tell you flat out they are unable to accommodate. Last renewal we waited til the last day and ...they said they could not accommodate today's date and I was nice about it when she said no then I got home to see she gave me some pixie dust..
I can't wait to hear how it turns out.

 

[MK2010]

My two cents as a mom- I have been on A LOT of Disney Trips and have been to universal with my friends only. I think for the ages of the children, in my opinion, not worth the extra cash unless they are thrill seekers I feel like the kids stuff is meh... not impressed at all.. you know it is not "super kid friendly" when you barely see any strollers... if they have never been to Disney, especially with the little kids,I think you need at least 2 - 3 days in Magic Kingdom to really "experience" it. Atmosphere, parades, fireworks and not rushing around with tired super cranky kids.

Thank you so much for weighing in! I showed him your post and he is definitely going to think about it. $2k is a lot to pay especially when 2 of your party are just going to be standing around. The older two are about 51" so....that limits them some as well.

 

[crewsn]

I agree one day at Magic Kingdom if this is their first time really isn't enough. I find it much easier and more enjoyable to break it up into at least two days. I see you do have the Halloween Party planned at MK so that should cover it probably, but how is this family? That can usually be the hardest thing to gauge when helping someone else plan.

Are they go - go - go vacation type people or do they like to relax? With two 5 year olds I wouldn't personally want to plan to be at Epcot in the morning and then the party at night. My kids would be burnt out with then trying to go to another park the next day too. Maybe time at the pool that morning would be nice then the party that night. Or hit T-Rex for lunch that day then go to the party. You can get into the party at 4pm.

If you are doing late nights try to have a later morning planned the next day. That schedule just seems way too packed for me and my kids. So you may want to look at rearranging your days to fit this better. Like you don't want to do Wishes one night and then try to wake up for rope drop somewhere the next morning.

I have never been to universal so I can't speak on that (my kids would not be at the ages to care for it yet, too young), but if they really want to do that they might want to cut back on the Disney side then.

Another note, I'd bump the T-Rex meal to the break day. I personally wouldn't want to go to Hollywood Studios leave for lunch at Disney Springs. Would be much easier to do on their break day. If I am doing a meal somewhere other then the park I am at I prefer doing a breakfast then heading to that park or doing the park and going somewhere for dinner.

Hopefully these thoughts help a little.

 

[MK2010]

@crewsn you're opinion absolutely does help. He swears his kids are non-stop! Apparently, he took them for a Daddy's Day out bettehere in town and it was a jam packed days from sun up until almost 11. I'm eager to show him your post. I think it's one thing to have one day like what he experienced vs. 9 solid days at Disney.

I just feel that for a first time trip, he's trying to pack too much in. He's getting to make it a once in a lifetime/best experience ever. I'm trying to ease him into the idea of returning in 5 years. His kids will be older, Star Wars land will be finished, and it would be the perfect time to visit Universal.

I won't get into dining on this post just yet, but trust me there is definitely more to come on that subject!

Thanks for sharing your opinion!

 

[crewsn]

I'm glad it could help. Yes going one day nonstop is much different then nine. My kids have done single days at the Magic Kingdom opening 8am to close near midnight. Though I would never expect this on a full week trip. Think of this more of a marathon not a sprint (I have seen this posted many times on here and think its a great analogy).

And I so understand on the wanting this to be a once in a lifetime trip. Been there. That was trips and trips ago now. I thought we wouldn't be back for years. Says after taking 2 trips just this past year alone. Not to say they would fall into that category, but they may surprise themselves.

 

[Corrine 1973]

Hey MK2010, Joining in on your PTR. I am entertained by your well written report so do not worry and just keep writing. (just keep writing, just keep writing. . .)

As for your questions: I honestly do not think that this would be a good time for this family to visit Universal. Not just for the fact that the 2 youngest are only 5 (they have a Dr. Seuss land there that is really awesome) but it is a lot of money to spend on just a couple of days. Especially if they have never read or seen Harry Potter. Universal is like Disney that it is cheaper per day the more days you visit. Been then that is just my opinion.S

You can totally change your tickets to a Annual pass or add the park hopper option at anytime. Disney wants your money so they are not going to say no. I have heard of many people doing this when they get the packages. You need at least 2 park tickets added to your package so they will upgrade their tickets to passes while at Disney. (I wish I was able to go to Disney enough to get season passes. I do have passes to Six Flags but it is NOT the same thing.)

So you and the family you are going with have 4 kids? I also have four kids, small world (OK maybe not really but when I tell people I have 4 kids they look at me as if I am insane.) That being said I got to get out of here and pick up my daughter. She spent the weekend at her Grandmother's/dad's house. Can't wait to read more.

 

[MK2010]

Wow! You guys are all so awesome to comment! I think I'm REALLY going to try and talk him out of the whole Universal thing. I feel kind of bad about that, I don't want to be a downer on anybody's vacation dreams, but I really don't want to get there and have two grumpy adults because their 4 kids are exhausted. I realize I'm going as the nanny, but let's not make my job any harder than it has to be.

In the meantime, I've been dreaming of all the trips I want to take in 2018!!! I'm hoping for good deals (aka 35% odd Deluxe) for AP Passholders. Here are my dream trips so far:
Jan 4-9: Me a DH for Race weekend. Flying out of Dallas Hopefully at the Poly. But DH wants to stay at All Star Sports.

Spring Break: Driving down with my Mom, DD, and my niece. Staying at Grand Floridian? My mom and I would love to stay there, I'm just not positive I'll be able to swing it.

Summer vacation: Driving down and back with the family. Total trip will be 13-14 days. (The timing will be dependent on when/whereUSAG schedules Nationals.) Probably 6 days at Disney and maybe try to squeeze in a couple of days at Universal since we've never been. We're not into HP but the rollercoasters look amazing! (Maybe I should just save my money and spend a day at 6 Flags Over Texas on either the way down or back). We'll definitely be staying off property. I would prefer a 2 bedroom at WBC.

Final trip would be a long weekend with my youngest son in October. We would probably fly out of Amarillo. He has already said he wants to stay at All Star Sports. (Idk peeps, I don't get it!) He is totally stoked about getting to plan the whole trip and has already informed me that we will be eating at every pizza restaurant on property!

Anyway, doesn't that sound like fun? First step, graduate nursing school! Lol. Yeah, no biggie. Haha.

 

[MK2010]

Hi Guys! Back with an update, First of all, Universal is OUT! Yay! Not that I really have anything against Universal, I just felt this trip was already jam packed. Luckily,after thinking about it Jesse agreed. The only down side is that Jesse likes to second guess his decisions. Hopefully, this is one that will stay settled. However, we are back in the hunt for a place to stay. As you know we couldn't get into a 4 bedroom at WBC. I don't know if I would have any more luck with a 3 bedroom which he is now open to. But honestly, we can get a much better deal on VRBO. I have it narrowed down to 4 options there. I will spend tonight uploading (cross your fingers) the pictures from the four houses. Tell me which one you like best.

 

[MK2010]

Okay, well, I guess y'all aren't getting that update because I've tried four times to upload one freaking picture. After an hour and a half I still have NO PICTURES uploaded and its making me MAD. So I guess I'm going to take a little breather and try again in a few days from home.

 

[uccats97]

Hi! I'm enjoying your pre trip report. It's good Jesse decided to skip Universal. I, too, have 4 kids and we waited until last July to visit Universal. We
Wanted our youngest to be tall enough for everything so we could all stay together. We loved Harry Potter but were not impressed with much else...too many motion simulators. I think he made the smart choice by passing this time!

I agree that your days seem packed. We always go commando but it does become exhausting. As a pp mentioned, you can enter MNSSHP at 4pm. That is a great day to relax and have a nice late lunch/early dinner. I wouldn't do a park that morning, just maximize the party time of 4pm-12am and have fun! Make sure you plan for a later start the following day because if you stay until 12am you realistically won't be in bed until 1:30am.

Why wait to upgrade your tickets to park hoppers the last day? It's the same price whether you buy intially or upgrade during your trip. If you buy ahead of time you have the flexibility to park hop all trip! I'd highly recommend starting off with park hoppers.

We have stayed offsite at Windsor Palms and rented from VRBO. Both worked well for a large group. I liked the location of Windsor Palms, about 7 minutes from Animal Kingdom. We were close to Super Target and lots of food places too.

I'm more than happy to help with any other questions you are pondering. Happy planning!

 

[MK2010]

Hi @uccats97! I'm so glad you chimed in. Good to know about the park hoppers! I thought it was pro rated. That is definitely a game changer. I'm currently reworking the touring plans so those are definitely NOT finalized yet. Of course, I'm the type that goes in with a laminated copy of "The Plan" and then starts changing it around on the fly while in the parks. Lol.

 

[uccats97]

So happy I could help! I am all about The Plan! I rely heavily on the My Disney Experience app. So easy to keep track of everything, it's all at your fingertips and you can make changes on the go. Make sure Jesse (and his wife) creates a My Disney Experience account and that you link everyone together. That way everyone has access to all of the shared plans.

 

[AngolaHeartsDisney]

Can't wait to see how it all turns out... I was re-reading through your first post and thought I would bring up ... stroller.... two younger ones... they might seem old for it at home but at disney-
I am telling it is a lifesaver!!! especially at night. My son was four on our last trip and we would park it for a while and thne come back and get it later but he is also a go all night kid but when he was tired and the exit seems 50 miles away- it was great to corral him and let him relax- and also for his safety- sometimes those parade and fireworks crowds are insane...

 

[MK2010]

@uccats97 Its a good thing you brought up the stroller. I had forgotten it. I had mentioned it early in the planning, but then I got caught up in all of the changes, changes, and more changes! I guess I would have remembered when I emailed the packing lists!

 

[MK2010]

*****BREAKING NEWS******** The writer of this trip report is an idiot. I finally figured out the issue with uploading the pictures....they were too large. Doh! Anyway, I shrunk them all down last night and they're ready to go. I will get those uploaded in the next post. It does make you wonder if I'm really fit to lead this expedition! In other news, the decision has been made to upgrade to 7 day park hoppers since it was only $350ish more. So we will be spending all 8 days in the parks, but now I will be reworking the amount of time spent in the parks. The latest heart stopping issue is that he wants to wait until 60 days out to book lodging. He thinks that a 4 bedroom or 3 bedroom at WBC will open up. I've emailed Ken Price and he assures me that there will be no 4 bedrooms available at that time. (Did I mention Jesse is a little hard headed?) By waiting that late, there will be NOTHING available that we want. He disagrees and believes that since it is October and not the busiest time of year for Disney that there will be plenty of availability. I agree that booking now might be a little hasty, but I'd like to get something nailed down for this trip before I start back to school next week. He's driving me CRAZY!!! So, who's right? (Don't worry, I know its me , but how do I convince him?) You would've thought that when he missed out on booking Bonnet Creek right at the 10 month mark that would have been a clue! Also, one of the four houses I promised to show you guys has been taken off VRBO. So that dropped us to 3. We removed another one from the list just because after looking at it again, we decided the other two that we had chosen were better. We did add another house, but I don't have pictures of that one. So, here's to two houses! (Continued in the next post.)

 

[MK2010]

House #1 (378783 on VRBO) https://www.vrbo.com/378783
6 bedroom, 4 full baths in Windsor Hills. Fireworks view. 5.8 miles to Magic Kingdom.
Queen size master on first floor. 2 Masters with ensuites on second floor. $2793.55
View attachment 213724
So, as you can see, these aren't the best quality photos. I can't figure out how to get my computer to do a screen shot. (I've tried every combination of print screen that I can think of and it won't cooperate.) But I included the listing # from VRBO at the top as well as a link to the listing.

 

[MK2010]

House #2 (369529 ) https://www.vrbo.com/369529
8 bedroom, 5 full baths in Emerald Island. 9.0 miles to Magic Kingdom.
4 kings, 1 queen, 3 kids bedroom suites. $2395.17
It wouldn't upload all of my pictures, but that gives you an idea.

 

[Corrine 1973]

I personally like the first one better but the kids might like the second one better. (I know, no help.lol) Have you tried right clicking the picture? It should give you the option to save the picture to your computer.