January/February 2018 discounts, who else is in?

[DVCjj]

Looks like you are all set ? Sorry didn't get your message till this morning . Let me know if you still need the link, but the Disney Visa offer is up on the main WDW now anyway.
Yes, DVC availability is pretty slim for our dates in January too. We were lucky enough to score a Copper Creek studio with walk in shower for half of our trip . The other half, we scored the 35% off Disney Visa offer for Yacht Club . So 4 nights at CCV , and the other 4 nights at YC for us , looking forward to it !
Hope you can find some availability with that 35% off offer !

Yes, PM'd you. Delighted to have gotten YC at 35% off and able to get out of freezing January Midwest.
Had it not been for your original mention of it, I never world have searched and gotten it so thanks a lot.

 

[StaciaRae]

I've got a question. I've got a discounted room booked right now I might be dropping. I know there's threads on the dining board for ADRs so people can coordinate if it's one someone wants. Is that something I could do on here if I drop it?

Is there a cancelled ADRs board for January 2018? I was looking last night and couldn't find one, I'll have a few ADRs to drop and a few I'm hoping to pick up also.

 

[amalone1013]

Is there a cancelled ADRs board for January 2018? I was looking last night and couldn't find one, I'll have a few ADRs to drop and a few I'm hoping to pick up also.

Here it is! https://www.disboards.com/threads/j...-adr-thread-guidelines-in-first-post.3618171/
I was like, I know it's somewhere because I'm on it!

 

[StaciaRae]

Here it is! https://www.disboards.com/threads/j...-adr-thread-guidelines-in-first-post.3618171/
I was like, I know it's somewhere because I'm on it!

THANK YOU!!!!

 

[GrumpySue]

The website and the phone lines are out of whack. I renewed mine and my husband's annual passes a few days ago and went online and saw that mine was upgraded as a child's pass. I can see a mistake like this happening on a new order, but when upgrading an existing pass this should not happen. Called to get it straightened out and have been transferred all over the place and now on hold for 20 minutes. Their IT Dept needs to do a better job, it's a mess.

 

[Mika02]

So Just went to finally book the room for my daugther's trip at Contemporary and found a standard room opened up in Polynesian today. So I am finally booked just hoping an AP discount comes out to bring it down further. But So excited to finally be booked!

 

[takingkidstodisney]

So I have been quietly following and need some advice. We will be staying onsite for the first time and our kids are 5 & 2. Originally we have a reservation for Pop with SPD but are also thinking about upgrading to AKL. I am nervous because both kids are picky eaters and the food at AKL is different. My husband thinks the kids will like Pop more for the design but the rooms seem much more comfortable at AKL. It is about a $1000 difference between the 2. I also have travel agent looking into possible spilt stay. Thoughts or recs?

 

[amylevan]

So I have been quietly following and need some advice. We will be staying onsite for the first time and our kids are 5 & 2. Originally we have a reservation for Pop with SPD but are also thinking about upgrading to AKL. I am nervous because both kids are picky eaters and the food at AKL is different. My husband thinks the kids will like Pop more for the design but the rooms seem much more comfortable at AKL. It is about a $1000 difference between the 2. I also have travel agent looking into possible spilt stay. Thoughts or recs?

There is plenty of kid favorite standard food at AKL. Mara (the counter service place at AKL) has regular American breakfasts and the kids menu at lunch/dinner has hamburgers, chicken nuggets and a turkey sandwich. The sit down restaurants also have kid friendly food. (This is WDW, they are used to picky kids.) Plus, I don't know how you have your vacation planned, but we don't often eat very many meals at our hotel.

As for Pop vs. AKL, my kids would 100% love AKL but they are animal freaks.

 

[StaciaRae]

So I have been quietly following and need some advice. We will be staying onsite for the first time and our kids are 5 & 2. Originally we have a reservation for Pop with SPD but are also thinking about upgrading to AKL. I am nervous because both kids are picky eaters and the food at AKL is different. My husband thinks the kids will like Pop more for the design but the rooms seem much more comfortable at AKL. It is about a $1000 difference between the 2. I also have travel agent looking into possible spilt stay. Thoughts or recs?

We stayed at AKL when my kids were 5 and 3. One is a picky eater and we never had trouble finding things for him to eat. We ate at Mara a few times and BOMA 3 times (we only had one ADR when we got there, but liked it so much we booked two more ADRs throughout the week, we had no trouble getting reservations right before we wanted to eat). BOMA does have some "exotic" foods but all the regular buffet staples too. The main reason we chose AKL was because dh said it was "his vacation too" and he didn't want it to be "Disney" (crazy, I know!). But, my kids loved it! They loved seeing the animals, the pools were awesome, they had fun activities for kids around the place (kids made bracelets out of the beads they earned at different stations), and they had a nice little playground area. We found the bus system to be awesome! I did hear others on the bus complaining about how long the ride was, but we didn't think it was bad. We thoroughly loved our stay at AKL. We're going back again in January. DH really wanted to stay at AKL again, but we're going to WL this time. We're only going to be there for 4 days and spending most of our time at MK so I want to be a little closer. I've never been to Pop, but I'm sure the kids will like whichever place you stay. $1000 is a big difference though, I can see your dilemma.

 

[scrappinginontario]

If the budget is wide open I would choose AKL for sure! If you are looking for places to save money I know you would have a great time at Pop!

For me it always comes down to budget so we are Pop fans but AKL is my dream resort to stay at sometime.

If it were me I would make the decision around the actual resort and not the food available at the resort as you will be able to find kid friendly food at both locations.

 

[nemofans]

Don't turn AKL down b/c of the food. There are plenty of regular kid friendly options, but then you & DH can try something more grown up too. Dh is an AKL fan b/c he can eat more exotic foods than the typical american fare while the kids eat what they like. The pool, playground, activities, & animals just put this resort over the top for us.

 

[pixarmom]

So I have been quietly following and need some advice. We will be staying onsite for the first time and our kids are 5 & 2. Originally we have a reservation for Pop with SPD but are also thinking about upgrading to AKL. I am nervous because both kids are picky eaters and the food at AKL is different. My husband thinks the kids will like Pop more for the design but the rooms seem much more comfortable at AKL. It is about a $1000 difference between the 2. I also have travel agent looking into possible spilt stay. Thoughts or recs?

We've stayed at AKL four times over the years, and our last stay was two months ago. One of our three boys is super picky, but had absolutely no complaints about food at Mara or Jiko, and Boma offered some of his favorites. There are several basic kid food options on all the menus. We've stayed at Pop for an arrival night when our flight gets in late, but as long as the budget allows, I'd definitely recommend the upgrade to AKL. The entire feel of the resort is relaxing - the lobby, the pools (including Kidani with that fantastic water play area) the rooms and the beds, the balcony (big deal for me when traveling anywhere with kids.) I'm also not a fan of food courts, and far prefer Mara over the value food courts - it's busy, but less chaotic.

 

[pixarmom]

Wow - availability is all over the place. I switched resorts many times over the past week - now just waiting for deposit refunds. We ended up with an arrival night at Pop and then courtyard view at WL for four nights over marathon weekend. Sad, sad little discount, but we're happy to be at WL.

P.S. for @takingkidstodisney: We would have stayed at AKL again - had a great rate on a standard view (because only 4 of the 5 of us are on this trip) but I just stayed there with the kids over the summer and we're up for something different.

 

[takingkidstodisney]

Thanks everyone for the input. I think we decided to stay with Pop and funnel that extra money for a bounce back stay in the fall. I just know it was such a good deal for AKL!!!

 

[scrappinginontario]

I keep trying numerous times each day to pick up a SPD offer for Pop. Seems futile yet each time I hit 'refresh' I get excited that this time might be the time I see something open up.

 

[leaf44]

Me too . I think I'm getting carpal tunnel from all the page refreshing . I can find a split stay, but two nights are not available and it looks like I'll have to spend close to $1000 for those 2 nights. Really wishing I had booked pre discount this year!

 

[scrappinginontario]

Me too . I think I'm getting carpal tunnel from all the page refreshing . I can find a split stay, but two nights are not available and it looks like I'll have to spend close to $1000 for those 2 nights. Really wishing I had booked pre discount this year!

I have learned through this experience that in spite of what others may say, I will always pre-book what I want prior to the deals coming out and hope that I get the discount I want. It's too risky these days going the other route as so many are in your boat and cannot get what they're looking for.

Hope something opens up for you!

 

[CAStevens218]

I've missed quite a few pages here, but I'm starting to find some rooms at Riverside under the Gift of Magic room offer. Still more expensive than my rack rate package at French Quarter because they are King and Royal Rooms, but previously nothing was available at all for my dates. I've also seen some King rooms at Caribbean Beach and Coronado Springs pop up.

My dad wants to join us now, so I will probably book him at Riverside since it is at least close by. Nothing at French Quarter seems to be opening up for our dates.

 

[hotbroccoli]

I have learned through this experience that in spite of what others may say, I will always pre-book what I want prior to the deals coming out and hope that I get the discount I want. It's too risky these days going the other route as so many are in your boat and cannot get what they're looking for.

Hope something opens up for you!

I'll be heeding this advice for my next visit - the discount roulette this round has been frustrating. While we were looking to stay at WL or BC/YC, room availability is nonexistent at this point for my mid-February dates... the upside? We're gonna take a chance at AKL and hope it's as wonderful as everyone here has been saying!

For future trips where the calendar isn't up/available to book online, do you simply call and place a deposit? (I'm loathe to talk on the phone if I don't have to, but if it gets me the room I want at the resort I want I'll do it...)

 

[scrappinginontario]

For future trips where the calendar isn't up/available to book online, do you simply call and place a deposit? (I'm loathe to talk on the phone if I don't have to, but if it gets me the room I want at the resort I want I'll do it...)

If reservations for your dates are not available online, then they are also not available by calling in. By this I mean, if you are currently looking to book a date after December 31, 2018, it is not available online or by calling in. New dates will be added both online and by calling in on the same date. I'm not sure when 2019 dates will be added.

Hope this helps.