Our 'Ohana is Making a Splash on Safari: Reporting LIVE from...AKL (8/6)

[RC2010]

thanks - i felt like i came along with you guys. you definitely made the best of all of your days. now you can plan the next one! thanks for the updates

 

[Tina1]

I read the whole trip. Thank you for the report it all sounds wonderful Tina

 

[MainStreetFireman]

There is a AAA discount offered at Earl of Sandwich. MAke sure you have a current AAA card to claim it at the register.


I ran an Excel spread sheet so that I could get an idea of what the actual savings would be for the Annual Pass / Tables in Wonderland card.

If there was a discount available for Disney Visa that was similar, then I didn't ascribe that savings to the AP/TIW.

Keep in mind that we did not make any dining or experience decisions based on the possibility of an AP/TIW discount. While we did change our HDDR time to take advantage of it, we were already going to see that show. So, everything that we did; we were already going to do.

All of the above being said, here are the hard numbers:

Additional cost of one AP and TIW card: $281.61
savings reaped through AP/TIW usage: $430.09

Net savings: $148.48

Not too shabby. Worth every penny.

 

[iloveeeyore]

Aww, I always feel sad when I hear about the end of someone's trip - but you seem to have definitely made the most of yours, which is what's most important! Loved reading along and am looking forward to checking out the dining report!

Yes, we definitely made the most of it! I am really feeling the post-vacation blues at the moment, though! I need a PLAN, at least, not another trip right now, but a plan. Like, say, for my 45th birthday!

thanks - i felt like i came along with you guys. you definitely made the best of all of your days. now you can plan the next one! thanks for the updates

You are welcome! Belle and Herc have both indicated that while they adore Disney World, they do want to see more of the real world, so I guess we'll have to put some time into considering other destinations for a while. Plus we have to shop for colleges!

I read the whole trip. Thank you for the report it all sounds wonderful Tina

It was heaven! Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it!

There is a AAA discount offered at Earl of Sandwich. MAke sure you have a current AAA card to claim it at the register.


I ran an Excel spread sheet so that I could get an idea of what the actual savings would be for the Annual Pass / Tables in Wonderland card.

If there was a discount available for Disney Visa that was similar, then I didn't ascribe that savings to the AP/TIW.

Keep in mind that we did not make any dining or experience decisions based on the possibility of an AP/TIW discount. While we did change our HDDR time to take advantage of it, we were already going to see that show. So, everything that we did; we were already going to do.

All of the above being said, here are the hard numbers:

Additional cost of one AP and TIW card: $281.61
savings reaped through AP/TIW usage: $430.09

Net savings: $148.48

Not too shabby. Worth every penny.

Thanks for doing the math, hubby! We only saved that much because we SPENT that much!! LOL!

I also completely omitted our Sunday night (8/1) at CG and our next day in Epcot on my report. I skipped ahead and never had time to go back and fill it in. I guess I will give more details about that in my DR.

TTFN, everyone!
Thanks for reading

 

[bwmmfan]

What a great report. I have to ask one question. We are in PA and have been following the weather for the week. We are planning our 2011 trip for the same week. How was the heat???? Did you melt? It didn't seem to effect you at all.

 

[iloveeeyore]

What a great report. I have to ask one question. We are in PA and have been following the weather for the week. We are planning our 2011 trip for the same week. How was the heat???? Did you melt? It didn't seem to effect you at all.

Having been there twice in late August, we thought we understood what the heat was going to feel like. We were wrong!!! It was the HOTTEST we have ever felt in our lives, especially the first week. The heat indexes were like 113 degrees per day during that whole week. We had sweat pouring off us some mornings before 8:30 waiting for rope drop. It didn't even cool off too much at night. I brought a sweater with me for air conditioned dinners, and only used it once (I think it was our last night at Boma, but by then it was overcast/drizzly day). Aladdin made the mistake of packing lots of fire department T-shirts in a color called "Fire Navy." BIG PROBLEM- pack light clothing!! We were even hot on the water mice; we should have dunked in the pool before boating for 30 minutes (who knew? We thought it would be cool on the water!). There was NO WAY to stand and watch any afternoon parade without standing inside somewhere and looking out.

Having said that, we really didn't spend much time outside in the heat of the afternoon, unless at a pool or waterpark. We were in World Showcase during the heat of the afternoon, and while walking from pavilion to pavilion took a toll, we spent LOTS of time inside. We really couldn't enjoy too many of the outside street performers, so we just skipped them and did the inside attractions instead.

We went with the understanding that it would be very hot and planned accordingly, not letting the heat get us down. TGM helped a lot in planning for the heat, too. Drink plenty of water. We drink the tap water in Florida, we think it tastes perfectly fine, and it is always available. You can drink out of the fountains or walk up to any food vendor and ask for a cup of iced tap water, and it's free! Again, wear light clothing, plan pool time and indoor time, especially in the heat of the afternoon.

Hope this helps. Thanks for reading!

 

[MainStreetFireman]

I wanted to look at my cost savings above and calculate at what calendar point the extra cost became a savings.

It turns out that the break-even point was at exactly 7 days. A week. I have a feeling that this is no coincidence and that Disney has done the same math.

Oh yeah, and BTW, if you have the time, wash and dry your hands in the men's restroom at Ghirardelli's in DTD. They have the new Dyson handdryers. Really cool engineering. Just saying...