Mini TR for another Boston Road Trip - updated Nov 22

Just to add to your Disney math, the AP also comes with memory maker which is quite amazing! So 169$ extra (hey if it helps you justify it!)
And the 20% off merchandise can add up quickly especially when you get snacks in stores that offer 20% off, plus 10% off dining...
I guess I am trying to rationalize my own AP buying, but you are right that it definitely adds the expense of that second trip!
 
I've caved and started a spreadsheet. The reason I was hesitant to even do one is because while I'm the only one who is likely to take any planning seriously...I think it will frustrate me to death if no one else is interested in partaking in the process. lol...but I'm doing it anyway.

GOOD!! Cuz half the fun is in the spreadsheets!

I think that's also doable by Uber or Lyft in case I don't want to do the drive.

This would be my vote. They are so easy and about the same or less than parking. Except that ONE part... PM me if you need to know, but saving that blunder for my TR.

I think this is the trip I'm going to have to just try to chill out and take it all in.

Sometimes that is just the best way to tackle things.

I've spent much of the day when I should have been doing other productive things...doing Disney math :)

Not an entirely bad way to spend the day; sometimes that can be quite lucrative.

Any tips from people who have planned for a group much appreciated!
Oy! My own head is spinning from all that you pondered!
 
Just to add to your Disney math, the AP also comes with memory maker which is quite amazing! So 169$ extra (hey if it helps you justify it!)
And the 20% off merchandise can add up quickly especially when you get snacks in stores that offer 20% off, plus 10% off dining...
I guess I am trying to rationalize my own AP buying, but you are right that it definitely adds the expense of that second trip!

That is certainly something to consider. Although I probably wouldn't actually BUY the memory maker if I didn't get the AP, but I do know how fun it is to have!

Except that ONE part... PM me if you need to know, but saving that blunder for my TR.

I'm curious...but if you want to make me wait until the TR that is ok lol
 
So here I thought I'd figured out the Disney math, and was doing my best to justify the AP...when today I go back on the Disney site to look at ticket prices...and they have changed? or maybe they just changed the format? And I can no longer find the Canadian Resident tickets available anymore? Are they gone? I also can no longer find that option they used to have where you could extend the length of the period that your tickets are valid? Ugh...now I have to recalcuate everything...and figure out again...now it may actually make sense to buy less park days and go to an after hours event or something....frack...have to go back and do some more math...

I'll be here calculating and pulling my hair out...
 


I know there are discounts on food and other benefits...but are any of them significant enough to save me that much money?
Are you paying for all the food yourself? Or just your own?
But if you're going to WDW for 10 days and "only" spend $100/day on food... that's $100 saved with the AP right there. If you're paying for the kids' food too... that can go up.

And as was pointed out, Memory Maker is included... and if you do want photos... that adds up quickly.

But... If you're only going once in a 12 month period... then I don't think it makes sense to get an AP.
 
So here I thought I'd figured out the Disney math, and was doing my best to justify the AP...when today I go back on the Disney site to look at ticket prices...and they have changed? or maybe they just changed the format? And I can no longer find the Canadian Resident tickets available anymore? Are they gone? I also can no longer find that option they used to have where you could extend the length of the period that your tickets are valid? Ugh...now I have to recalcuate everything...and figure out again...now it may actually make sense to buy less park days and go to an after hours event or something....frack...have to go back and do some more math...

I'll be here calculating and pulling my hair out...
The Canadian resident offer is still there. Open MDE on your laptop/desktop and it will pop up.
Otherwise, here's the link: Canadian Residents Offer
 
My math brain is no good at the moment, so I won't chime in about $$$, BUT I will send a great big YYAAAAAAAYY!!!!! You're going back to Disney World!!!!! :) So excited for you!
 


I'm curious...but if you want to make me wait until the TR that is ok lol
Never, ever ever, EVER take a Lyft, taxi or Uber to MK. It WILL NOT take you there and you will waste a LOT of precious time getting there. :( Rookie mistake that I KNEW better not to do.
 
Whew, I look forward to hearing what your decision ends up. I have a different approach now to group trips - I'd show them my proposed spreadsheet/itinerary of what my ideal schedule would be for park days, dark side days, and relaxing days, work out my best logistics, and let them decide when/if they want to join you... I would hope that would give everyone some control of their own time, and real excitement for the planned activities?
Jealous of your trip planning - it's currently -31C here and we will be in the deep freeze for a few more days at minimum. But at least my staycation starts after 2 more shifts and it will be Snuggle Babycation!
YES, YES, YES!!! I know you want to maximize your time with them, but you DO know more and how to make the most enjoyable trip. You're paying a lot of money to do this and I agree with Donna, make a good plan, explain your why's and invite them to do what they want with you.
 
But... If you're only going once in a 12 month period... then I don't think it makes sense to get an AP.

Well that's the rub isn't it lol. If I don't buy an AP then more than likely I won't make that much of an effort to get back to WDW within a year. However, IF I DO buy one, then I will most certainly do whatever it takes to get back there in less than a year and spend at least three park hopping days there lol. That's what the difference amounts to. But, that of course doesn't take into account the probably extra $2k I'd have to spend on flights and food and hotel to use those three more park days lol. So is it actually SAVING me any money in the grand scheme of things? NO, but it would be hella more convenient for this trip....AND would be fun to think about getting to go back again soon lol

The Canadian resident offer is still there. Open MDE on your laptop/desktop and it will pop up.

Found it. I don't know what was glitching on my computer the other day, no matter what I did, it just would not give me that Canadian resident page. It seems to be there now though. Phew!

My math brain is no good at the moment, so I won't chime in about $$$, BUT I will send a great big YYAAAAAAAYY!!!!! You're going back to Disney World!!!!! :) So excited for you!

Thanks!! I'm so excited too!!

I'd show them my proposed spreadsheet/itinerary of what my ideal schedule would be for park days, dark side days, and relaxing days, work out my best logistics, and let them decide when/if they want to join you... I would hope that would give everyone some control of their own time, and real excitement for the planned activities?

Yes!! That is a great way of looking at it. So far I have asked everyone to please just tell me how many park days you want, if you want to spend the money for park hoppers, and if you want to go to universal for a day or not. Once I have that down, I can then strategize best days to do what parks etc, and start making some restaurant ressies - because that's usually how "I" start the planning lol. I have already booked a few already because I wanted to snag whatever I could get. The pickins are already pretty slim for March, but I did manage to snag a ressie for Homecomin' which I'm excited about, and also one for Raglan Road.

The only other thing that is also going to throw a wrench in things is that of course everyone wants to try to get on ROTR, but I highly doubt everyone will be willing to get up at 5am just to get a shot at "maybe" getting on it sometime later in the day!! Also, who knows if they will still be using the current boarding groups strategy for it or if they will start doing FP+ with it? Who knows. So that is another big "if" and I hate that you have to be so flexible if you want to ride because my group...I'm not sure will be capable of that lol

Never, ever ever, EVER take a Lyft, taxi or Uber to MK. It WILL NOT take you there and you will waste a LOT of precious time getting there. :( Rookie mistake that I KNEW better not to do.

Ohhh boy. Good to know. I guess for MK days we'll suck it up and pay for parking. Question though, if someone is dropping you off for MK...do they have to drop you at the Ticket center? I wonder if getting dropped at the CR would be the best option and walk over to MK? Thoughts?

but you DO know more and how to make the most enjoyable trip.

Thanks for the vote of confidence! I certainly think I do know!

My friends also suggested that because they have a super early flight home on their last day, that they would maybe not go to a park on the last day before that. However, they said they probably want to do 4 MK days and 1 US day...which means...5 consecutive theme park days just to have a day "off" on the last day. I told them I question this wisdom because I personally can't handle five full days in a row and not sure they will want to. Also, their last day will likely be the US day, so I'm thinking if we get Express pass maybe it won't be AS exhausting as a Disney day? Wishful thinking?
 
Well that's the rub isn't it lol. If I don't buy an AP then more than likely I won't make that much of an effort to get back to WDW within a year. However, IF I DO buy one, then I will most certainly do whatever it takes to get back there in less than a year and spend at least three park hopping days there lol. That's what the difference amounts to. But, that of course doesn't take into account the probably extra $2k I'd have to spend on flights and food and hotel to use those three more park days lol. So is it actually SAVING me any money in the grand scheme of things? NO, but it would be hella more convenient for this trip....AND would be fun to think about getting to go back again soon lol
I say get it then. You sound like you're looking for an excuse to go again... and it's a pretty darned good excuse! :laughing:
 
Ohhh boy. Good to know. I guess for MK days we'll suck it up and pay for parking. Question though, if someone is dropping you off for MK...do they have to drop you at the Ticket center? I wonder if getting dropped at the CR would be the best option and walk over to MK? Thoughts?

YES! (I keep saying that on your TR!) You CANNOT be dropped off at MK and must either have your driver go to the TTC or CR. My choice, after having made this colossal mistake on my last trip would be the CR and just walk. The day I made it, it was compounded by the fact I burned up the rest of our EMH with monorail being delayed for almost 20 minutes. :(
 
The day I made it, it was compounded by the fact I burned up the rest of our EMH with monorail being delayed for almost 20 minutes. :(

OMG that would be so frustrating. To get up that early to try to make EMH and then miss it because of delays...blech!
 
I'm kind of in a holding pattern with the planning....I'm getting together with my friends who are joining on this trip on Feb 1...and so every time I mention trying to make a decision on park tickets - ie: how many days? Park hopper yes or no? They say "can we talk about it when we get together??" And I'm like yes .....but.....I NEED TO PLAN!!

Our first park day will be March 8 - so when is FP+ day for us staying offsite so...is FP day Feb 6 or 7? And if I'm buying a 10 day ticket but my park days will span more than 10 days...can I book FP's for the whole trip on that day? or for each day does it have to be 30 days to the day to be able to book? AAAGHH

Also, I have to assume at this point that for the duration of our trip, ROTR will still be on boarding groups? So that means that we will have to get to HS super early on our one HS day with friends. It doesn't matter much to me if we get on that day because we are staying a week longer than our friends and may have other chances...but they will only have the one, UNLESS they get park hoppers...which they don't really see the value in getting. If it wasn't for ROTR, for them I wouldn't really bother with hoppers either because they haven't been to WDW in forever and one park per day will likely be enough...EXCEPT the crowds in March...may make hopping make more sense...who knows...all of this is tough to explain though to people who don't get the whole system lol...and then I'll have to explain the bloody Tier's and why we can't just make FP's for everything....sigh...! It's all fun but...also frustrating!!

I have started by at least trying to book some meals...I managed to get a BOG breakfast, although I'd prefer a dinner but I don't think it's gonna happen. I also got us a Plaza dinner because I've always wanted to go there. Got one Homecomin' ADR and also a dinner at 50's Prime Time which I'm excited about.

I also got one for Raglan Road and I scored a 7:15pm reservation at Rose and Crown for dinner one night. Do you think that is late enough to still be there for the night time show? If we linger over drinks and appetizers and desserts maybe?

I am also thinking perhaps with ADR's it's better to just book them and then cancel if/when plans change. I am leary of booking something for every single day though...I think our group may sometimes just want to do QS or even order in food to the house where we are staying...but I want ALLL the Disney food!! Luckily we have a week there after they leave where I can eat all the food lol

So really this post is a bunch of rambling...
 
every time I mention trying to make a decision on park tickets - ie: how many days? Park hopper yes or no? They say "can we talk about it when we get together??" And I'm like yes .....but.....I NEED TO PLAN!!
Eek! Yes! You need to plan! Or... enjoy your long ride lines and dining at the less desirable restaurants.
So really this post is a bunch of rambling...
Ramble away! :)
 
I'm way behind and probably don't have much to add that's helpful - but I do have friends who tried to ride ROTR a couple days ago, were in line all day long (boarding group 97, iirc), and then the ride broke down just when they were going to get on! I'd hate to make my plans around something like that! I think they go somewhat often, so they've done most of the other stuff before. But especially if I had people who had never been before, I can't imagine devoting an entire day to standing in line for one ride. Unless they were just huge Star Wars fans, I guess. (They homeschool, which is why they could visit now).
 
Eek! Yes! You need to plan! Or... enjoy your long ride lines and dining at the less desirable restaurants.

Exactly!! I have made some ADR's and are planning what "I" would choose as FP's, and I will present that to them and hopefully they just let me do it all. I am hoping that the way we have it set up, with everyone on MDE sharing in the plans, that if they don't like what I picked they can change it for themselves? I have never planned for anyone other than my children who in the past just went with whatever I picked...not sure how it works when you have more than one person who can change things around?

I can't imagine devoting an entire day to standing in line for one ride. Unless they were just huge Star Wars fans,

I am trying to understand how this works exactly. I thought that you were assigned a boarding group, but then until it's time for your boarding group, you can still be wandering around the park doing stuff? And then when they call your boarding group you have some time to get over there? So in theory you can book your FP's for that morning because you probably won't get a boarding group until later? I have no idea...
 
Ok, so I went back and re-read my friend's fb post. They got their group assignment in the morning, and came back to get in line around 6:40 pm. Then they were in line for about 90 minutes - and then the ride went down. So, not as bad as I was thinking, but still quite a bit of waiting. They did get an anytime pass, and free re-entry, so if you do decide to try it, I'd probably advise for early in the trip so you have a chance to try again later?
 

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