A REAL Disney vacation!

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Joined: 02/10/2011
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A REAL Disney vacation!

So there's a special for teachers that the DTD Hotels are doing, great rates this summer. I decided on a whim to check out the availability for July 4th, with low expectations. I found some good deals i.e. $89 a night at the DTD Hilton, $109 at the Wyndham (plus like $40 a night in fees,etc). I checked it out with Mike the budget man, and he said yeah, we could swing 2 nights...yeah! But then in his infinite wisdom, he tells me to check on-property for pass holder discounts. I'm thinking "yeah right, in our dreams!" No way, on a holiday, with short notice, at a rate we could afford, he's crazy! Well, low and Behold, the pixie dust was flying! We got a room at the All Star Sports for the 3rd and 4th of July for LESS than the teacher discounted Hilton! We usually go to Disney for the 4th anyway to watch the fireworks but have to drive home. I am SO excited! Our Disney experience is different from most of yours, we are never on vacation there and we rarely eat there aside from an occasional snack or drink. It's super awesome that we have passes and we get to go so often, but the experience isn't quite the same. I enjoy it and appreciate it like y'all, but we have an hour-plus drive home if we get hot, tired, hungry, it's rainy... etc.
We stayed on property many times before Mike was a teacher but it's been about 10 years now. So many other things to spend $ on now with the kids growing up, our Disney passes are our year round vacay!
I can't wait to meet up w Disney Doc and friend now, and stay late with no drive! I'm so excited! Any thoughts on All Star Sports? We've been there, just never stayed there. I know it's value, but I am just happy to be on property!

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Julie

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alicemouse's picture
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YAY!! That's so exciting, Julie! I've never stayed at Sports, but I did stay at All-Star Music and I thought it was great! Inside the Disney Bubble is inside the Disney Bubble. Anecdotally, I've had better bus service at values than at moderates or deluxe. The rooms and the beds are a little smaller, but if your primary goal is playing at the parks, sleeping when necessary, and maybe taking a dip in the pool to cool off, the All-Stars will get the job done in a fun & whimsical kind of way!

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Julie congrats..now you can go and not worry about the time. Have a blast.

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There's nothing better after a long hot day in the parks than getting on the bus, and not having to worry about getting 'home'. We've never stayed at All Star Sports, but we've been at Music twice, and enjoyed ourselves just fine.

It sounds like it will be a great July 4th - enjoy.

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Magic Mirror's picture
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Joined: 09/18/2012
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We stayed at All Star Sports last December (my trip report link below has pics). One advantage is the bus stops at
Sports first so you always get a seat....and it drops off first so you can go to bed first! biggrin

The gift shop was large and the prices on items were decent......they even had small bottles of wine,
And I needed a first aid item which was priced about the same as what I pay at home.

The food court was under construction but it should be done and brand new for you by now.

I think you will be quite comfortable.......great score! Enjoy!

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Joined: 05/20/2011
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Good deal. What a great way to spend the 4th.

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MrHub's picture
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Congrats Julie!

disneydoc's picture
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Julie wrote:
So there's a special for teachers that the DTD Hotels are doing, great rates this summer. I decided on a whim to check out the availability for July 4th, with low expectations. I found some good deals i.e. $89 a night at the DTD Hilton, $109 at the Wyndham (plus like $40 a night in fees,etc). I checked it out with Mike the budget man, and he said yeah, we could swing 2 nights...yeah! But then in his infinite wisdom, he tells me to check on-property for pass holder discounts. I'm thinking "yeah right, in our dreams!" No way, on a holiday, with short notice, at a rate we could afford, he's crazy! Well, low and Behold, the pixie dust was flying! We got a room at the All Star Sports for the 3rd and 4th of July for LESS than the teacher discounted Hilton! We usually go to Disney for the 4th anyway to watch the fireworks but have to drive home. I am SO excited! Our Disney experience is different from most of yours, we are never on vacation there and we rarely eat there aside from an occasional snack or drink. It's super awesome that we have passes and we get to go so often, but the experience isn't quite the same. I enjoy it and appreciate it like y'all, but we have an hour-plus drive home if we get hot, tired, hungry, it's rainy... etc.
We stayed on property many times before Mike was a teacher but it's been about 10 years now. So many other things to spend $ on now with the kids growing up, our Disney passes are our year round vacay!
I can't wait to meet up w Disney Doc and friend now, and stay late with no drive! I'm so excited! Any thoughts on All Star Sports? We've been there, just never stayed there. I know it's value, but I am just happy to be on property!

Me too Julie! We are really overdue for a yak fest! You can text me your plans and we will meet up!

I have stayed at Music when the kids were young and I loved it. Very basic room but a fun place!

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Allie's picture
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Joined: 06/26/2012
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Awesome! Sounds like a blast and it will be fun to experience Disney in a different way then you usually get to! clapping

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Joined: 08/22/2013
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We stayed at the All Star Sports in Sept. 2012. We thought it was perfectly fine as we weren't really in the room all that much anyways. I agree with what the others said about being the first bus stop coming back from the parks, it was nice, but also because it shares a bus with the other All Star Resorts it can take a while when leaving the parks. We stayed in the Football section which was close to the main building and buses, the food court had really decent food and the pool bar was fun to visit before bed.
Hope you have a great time and enjoy yourselves!!!!

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