A PIN Code For Summer=Savings

               

We are headed to Walt Disney World again this summer for a sea/land combo vacation.  And, while we got a discount for our Disney Cruise by rebooking on board, we are/were still trying to get the best savings for the Walt Disney World portion of our summer vacation.

On March 17, summer discounts were released to the general public that had been previously released to Disney Visa card holders.  The discounts were for up to 30% off of stays of 6 nights or longer and were good through August 28.  Once the discounts were released, I contacted our travel agent.  There was good news and bad news.  The bad news—our resort for our summer 2014 Disney vacation Port Orleans French Quarter—was not included in the special.  This has happened to us before, and we have changed resorts to get the discount.  Only this time, Disney’s Coronado Springs did not have any standard rooms available during our stay, only king rooms or suites;  so we didn’t switch to Coronado.  Port Orleans Riverside offered garden view rooms as a part of the summer discounts and the savings was minimal (around $50) to switch resorts.  We decided not to switch. 

Oh, the good news was that since we had reserved our vacation in January through AAA, we were getting a pretty good price with the AAA discounts and cheaper park tickets, as the prices went up in February.  That is good news!

Then, we got a PIN Code in the mail.  For those of you who may not be familiar with PIN Codes, they are special, multi-digit codes assigned to your family that are good for the specified discount with the offer.  The offer we received with the PIN Code was FREE Park Hopper added to Magic Your Way Tickets of 5 nights or more for stays through August 28.  All righty then!  This offer covered our July stay, we already had a 5 day ticket with Water Parks and More Fun added.  I called our travel agent.

I was willing to bargain.  Park Hopper added to a Magic Your Way Ticket costs the same as Water Parks and More Fun.  We were willing to exchange the Park Hopper for a free Water Parks and More option—if that was possible.

Our travel agent emailed me that we were able to add the Park Hopper for FREE to our tickets AND the price of our package decreased by $88.  Why did the price go down?  Well, last summer Walt Disney World changed its pricing structure and made it more economical for guests to add BOTH Park Hopper and Water Parks and More to their tickets.  Once you have one, it is a minimal fee to add the other.  So, by adding Park Hopper, even if it was free, it made the Water Parks and More Fun option added to our tickets less expensive.  I can live with that!

So, now that we have discounts, Memory Maker, Water Parks and More, and Park Hopper to our theme park tickets, it’s back to the drawing board for our touring plan.  I’m thinking there may be an extra evening visit to Magic Kingdom, especially since there may be some additions to FastPass + for guests with Park Hopper.

Planning Some "Non-Disney" Activities For Summer 2014

The Simpson Ride was being completed at Universal Studios the last time we were there.

Yes, we are anticipating a visit to Universal Orlando as a part of our upcoming vacation.  As of right now, the plan is to fly into Orlando two days prior to sailing on the Disney Fantasy, and take a day trip to Universal Orlando while staying at the Hyatt at Orlando International.

And, we have to Universal Orlando previously--click here to read more.  We talked about returning in five years, but instead, it will have been six years.

The plan includes visiting both parks--Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure--in the same day.  The guys have most of the day planned, including our first stop, which is the Simpson's ride.  They also want to eat at the restaurant/bar near the Simpson's ride.

We are also anticipating a cab ride to/from the hotel to Universal Orlando.  That, too, will be an adventure.

Many families combine visits to both Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando when traveling to Orlando, though I would have to say that most families set foot in the Magic Kingdom and say they have been to Walt Disney World--but that is for another post.  We, do not typically combine a Disney vacation with a non-Disney vacation, but we had the time and we were going to "be there anyway" so why not?

It isn't that we don't enjoy Universal Orlando, we do.  It is just that we enjoy the immersive experiences at Walt Disney world more.

We Never Really Left!

The husband said that we never really left. . . the most magical place on earth that is.  This was his response to my whining/complaining about it being eleven months until our next Disney vacation.  He then said that we are already there or still there in our hearts.  Oh, he is so right!  And, he knew just what to say to make me feel better.  I also know that the eleven months will fly by AND I get to plan!

Well, actually the planning has already begun.  One of our planned stops while we are in Orlando is a day at Universal/Islands of Adventure.  The guys have been watching YouTube videos and making decisions about what rides we HAVE to ride an which ones are nice to ride, checking prospective wait times, and even restaurants/dining locations.  They both know this part of our trip is all theirs to plan.

Since our summer 2014 plans include a seven night sailing on the Disney Fantasy, which will include a Formal Night, I was able to snag a formal gown/dress on clearance this week-end, as summer dresses are on sale right now.  I bought it online for additional savings AND cash back using Ebates—click here to get started with Ebates.  Purchasing now, especially when a good price can be had, eliminates the budget being hit all at once for purchases; I find it easier on the budget to spread out the purchases. . . one or two a month. 

The next thing on the “to do” list is to order PassPorter’s new guide for Disney Cruise Line, released earlier this month.  The guide contains information on the ports and various port adventures/shore excursions.  The guide book also has info about the ship, though after two sailings on the Disney Dream, I am sure the Fantasy will feel like home.  Since I am a part of the PassPorter on-line community, I will get to save 30% off the price of the guide.  The family knows that once it arrives, I will have read it cover to cover in one night. 

The husband is right.  We never really left our happy place!