Everyone was right... UPDATE

[Madame]

... APs are a dangerous thing.

We usually go on vacation at the end of August before school starts back up, but we had nothing planned & we all had the back to school blues.

Just for fun I looked at flights yesterday afternoon & found a decent price with Spirit, then I looked at the RAT & there’s some availability but absolutely nothing Sat Sept 1- parties, food & wine etc. I need that Sat night to get the $77 return flight Sun Sept 2.

I keep checking periodically & suddenly a 1bd at VWL is sitting there from Tues Aug 28 - Sun Sept 2! I quickly booked it, borrowing most of my 2019 points & went on the hunt for a room for Sun Aug 26 - Tues Aug 28. Up pops a preferred studio at SSR. All told I had 208 2018/19 points & used 207 - I figure it was fate

Before I know it the 3 kids & I are leaving this Sun and doing a split stay - 2 nights SSR studio / 5 nights VWL 1 bd & going to a Hallowe’en party. & all because I kept telling myself the biggest expense - tickets - was already paid

We picked up some FP & dining - even a reservation at our beloved Beaches & Cream , but now I’m freaking a bit about logistics - it’s our first trip anywhere without DH & our first split stay, no ME tags, most recent MB are 2 years old, I’ve got to go in & get my classroom set up...

Some quick questions...

1. Should we take a cab Tues morning to VWL & drop our stuff with bell services - we are packing very light since I’ll have easy access to laundry, but we’ll have a couple of IPads.

2. Where at SSR & VWL can I get basic breakfast makings?

3. Anything I haven’t thought of?

TIA!!

 

[Tenacious K]

Wow that sounds awesome!

 

[Bing Showei]

Carpe diem! Squeezing out every last bit of summer; good for you!

1-Drop off the bags Tuesday morning with SSR bell services and head to the parks. They’ll take care of your bag transfer.

Have a great time.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Wow that sounds awesome!

I agree!
Artist Pallette store at SSR should have whatever you need, and the counter service there is very good, IMO.
Enjoy your wonderful surprise trip before the dreaded first day of school!

 

[aroundtheriverbend]

What a great thing, love when stuff comes together like that! I'm also jealous, we're heading to WDW Wednesday night but I'd much rather be going Sunday! We also have AP's, it's like a big magnetic pull all through the year, plus we can drive in 8 hours if we really feel the urge....

We're staying at Copper Creek (wasn't sure if by VWL you meant CC or Boulder Ridge), I know the little gift shop in the Wilderness Lodge building sells stuff you can make for breakfast. SSR also has a little store. FYI, if you buy "bulk" at SSR you can drop perishables off with bell services and they will keep them cold and transfer them to your new resort (along with your luggage) when you move if you didn't already know that. Last time we did that we just tipped on both ends and voila!

Cab definitely faster than the Magical Express - but hey, that's free, so depends on how fast you want to hit the parks. We have never had any problem with laptops, etc. at Bell Services (we also send them through the intra-resort transfers when we split stay).

Hope that helps!

 

[aroundtheriverbend]

PS - since I'm on here, does anyone know - we've renewed our APs but haven't done any "official" activation besides linking them to MDE. Do we need to do something special at Guest Relations or can we just enter the parks with our magic bands and they will automagically work (laughing at myself even as I type this, I'm guessing there's no way Disney IT is that pulled together)? Do all of us need to be present if we do go to Guest Relations, or could I just run them over the night we get in and let the kids and DH hang at the resort? Any advice appreciated, I can't retrieve what we did last time from the memory banks at all.

 

[kniquy]

This is awesome! I would love to be able to do this. I think you have given me an idea for next summer for a quick me and the kids trip

Should we take a cab Tues morning to VWL & drop our stuff with bell services - we are packing very light since I’ll have easy access to laundry, but we’ll have a couple of IPads.

I would look into Tony Hinds - google his name. We used him for our WDW to UO transfer and then to the airport. All was $100 round trip (of course more w/ tip)- He didn't even have us pay after the first leg. Super nice man and if you read some of the stories about him on this forum you will be touched. I think a taxi would be much more expensive, but not positive.

QUOTE="Madame, post: 59653973, member: 509240"]Where at SSR & VWL can I get basic breakfast makings?[/QUOTE]

Why not have a small delivery of food? Amazon prime now was super easy to use, on time and the produce i received was great. You can order online or on their app. I felt the prices to be much better than garden grocer. Then you can select your delivery window - items can be held at bell services. Even when we transferred resorts bell services was great about keeping our refrigerated items cold. Or you can certainly go to the resort store and pick up a few items.

 

[Madame]

PS - since I'm on here, does anyone know - we've renewed our APs but haven't done any "official" activation besides linking them to MDE. Do we need to do something special at Guest Relations or can we just enter the parks with our magic bands and they will automagically work (laughing at myself even as I type this, I'm guessing there's no way Disney IT is that pulled together)? Do all of us need to be present if we do go to Guest Relations, or could I just run them over the night we get in and let the kids and DH hang at the resort? Any advice appreciated, I can't retrieve what we did last time from the memory banks at all.

I’m sure that you have to get the DVC APs activated at GS because you have to have proof of membership. I’m not sure if everyone needs to be present.

 

[Ginger03]

... APs are a dangerous thing.

We usually go on vacation at the end of August before school starts back up, but we had nothing planned & we all had the back to school blues.

Just for fun I looked at flights yesterday afternoon & found a decent price with Spirit, then I looked at the RAT & there’s some availability but absolutely nothing Sat Sept 1- parties, food & wine etc. I need that Sat night to get the $77 return flight Sun Sept 2.

I keep checking periodically & suddenly a 1bd at VWL is sitting there from Tues Aug 28 - Sun Sept 2! I quickly booked it, borrowing most of my 2019 points & went on the hunt for a room for Sun Aug 26 - Tues Aug 28. Up pops a preferred studio at SSR. All told I had 208 2018/19 points & used 207 - I figure it was fate

Before I know it the 3 kids & I are leaving this Sun and doing a split stay - 2 nights SSR studio / 5 nights VWL 1 bd & going to a Hallowe’en party. & all because I kept telling myself the biggest expense - tickets - was already paid

We picked up some FP & dining - even a reservation at our beloved Beaches & Cream , but now I’m freaking a bit about logistics - it’s our first trip anywhere without DH & our first split stay, no ME tags, most recent MB are 2 years old, I’ve got to go in & get my classroom set up...

Some quick questions...

1. Should we take a cab Tues morning to VWL & drop our stuff with bell services - we are packing very light since I’ll have easy access to laundry, but we’ll have a couple of IPads.

2. Where at SSR & VWL can I get basic breakfast makings?

3. Anything I haven’t thought of?

TIA!!

Have fun! I think an annual pass every other year works well. If you borrowed points from 2019, it might make it easier to skip a year. Or go next year with free dining in a standard room.

 

[aroundtheriverbend]

I’m sure that you have to get the DVC APs activated at GS because you have to have proof of membership. I’m not sure if everyone needs to be present.

Thanks, I’m sure you are correct, wasn’t even thinking about it being linked to the DVC discount which of course we’ll have to provide proof of. My working mommy brain is so not firing on all cylinders today but at least it’s Friday!

 

[Monykalyn]

Have fun!! Yep AP's are dangerous! Made a couple trips extra "just because tickets are paid for" and cheap flights ROFL!

Heck-my disney AP expired in August but we bought Premier Universal AP's in June...Frontier had a heck of a sale last week and now me and middle DD are going in less than a month for HHN (we have a free ticket to that too!). DH should have know better than to get us AP's (even if to the "other side") LOL! We have a timeshare (non DVC) that gives us extra accommodation certificates so even lodging is cheap.

Have a great time and what an awesome way to start off the school year/fall!!!!

 

[smjj]

This is awesome! I would love to be able to do this. I think you have given me an idea for next summer for a quick me and the kids trip

I would look into Tony Hinds - google his name. We used him for our WDW to UO transfer and then to the airport. All was $100 round trip (of course more w/ tip)- He didn't even have us pay after the first leg. Super nice man and if you read some of the stories about him on this forum you will be touched. I think a taxi would be much more expensive, but not positive.

QUOTE="Madame, post: 59653973, member: 509240"]Where at SSR & VWL can I get basic breakfast makings?

Why not have a small delivery of food? Amazon prime now was super easy to use, on time and the produce i received was great. You can order online or on their app. I felt the prices to be much better than garden grocer. Then you can select your delivery window - items can be held at bell services. Even when we transferred resorts bell services was great about keeping our refrigerated items cold. Or you can certainly go to the resort store and pick up a few items.[/QUOTE]

When you use Amazon Prime Now does it fill in the address if you just give them a resort name? I can only find the front desk address and don't they charge a $5.00 fee for packages delived to the front gesk??..smjj

 

[kniquy]

When you use Amazon Prime Now does it fill in the address if you just give them a resort name? I can only find the front desk address and don't they charge a $5.00 fee for packages delived to the front gesk??..

I had to put the resort address in I don't think it finds the resort address for you. If you are not sure of the address you could call MS or just post on the forum. I am sure someone knows what to put for the correct delivery address. As for fees, I think there are certain resorts (might be conference based resorts that charge a fee). The fee that was charged by Amazon when i used Prime now was just a tip. If you wanted a quicker or sooner time/delivery then i think they will charge a fee.

When i put in my order I was at Epcot - it was around 3-4pm. It said i could pick a 6-8pm delivery but would charge me a fee, but if i chose 8-10pm no fee was added. So i picked the 8-10 pm as we were not going to be back to the resort until then.

 

[Wakey]

I want to cry- my flights (2 adults, 2 kids) are $4000 a time (from UK).

 

[kboo]

I’m sure that you have to get the DVC APs activated at GS because you have to have proof of membership. I’m not sure if everyone needs to be present.

You definitely have to have everyone's MBs which, if you're adults, is probably easier to have everyone there. I did activate my family's DVC APs last summer at MK guest services by myself - but I had DH nearby on standby giving the kids a snack. I ended up having to run out and grab everyone's MB and they took care of it while the kids played outside.

 

[Madame]

I want to cry- my flights (2 adults, 2 kids) are $4000 a time (from UK).

I hear you. The Canadian dollar is horrendous - add 35% to every US price, including our flights b/c we’re so close to the border we fly out of Detroit. It was $1600 CAD for our flights which is very good!

 

[Madame]

We are having an absolute blast! Thanks for the tips everyone. Loved SSR especially being so close to everything in the Springs section. I think preferred points would be worth it for our SSR stays going forward.

Our move today was quick & painless. Bell services got us a cab at 6:15 this morning. Dropped our stuff at BRV & made rope drop at DHS.

I can’t believe how much fun we are having doing WDW so relaxed!! Yesterday we were supposed to do EP, but weren’t feeling it so we made it to DHS for 8 - no FP, but we did SDD with a 20 min wait, Saucers with 5 min wait, walked on TSMM & Star Tours, boated to EP for our Soarin’ FP (just made it)! Spent an hr in the DVC lounge, ate at GG then swam the afternoon away. I love spontaneous WDW!!

Our BRV 1 bd is a huge corner room on the 5th floor. A gorgeous resort!!

 

[bobbiwoz]

Very happy for you! Enjoy VWL.

 

[MouseOfCards]

Glad to hear you and the kids are having a great time. Would love to book some last minute trips to the World!

 

[Mousewerks]

I had to put the resort address in I don't think it finds the resort address for you. If you are not sure of the address you could call MS or just post on the forum. I am sure someone knows what to put for the correct delivery address.

The DVC Resource Center sticky at the top of this forum has all the information you would ever want about the DVC resorts, including their addresses.