We had hard decisions and discussions for sure. Especially with my bonus DS22 coming down for a surprise week and then almost doing another if he didn’t have to go in for emergency surgery.
Another hard decision was opting not to put a downpayment on a condo or house somewhere in Orlando. We had a house in Fort Lauderdale we were renting out. We sold it a few years ago. The week we were to close, a hurricane came through and took half the roof with it. We ended up having to replace it and the experience soured us on owning out of state.
We made the decision that with the savings of not paying for an office and zero gas usage (not leaving the house/strict isolation/quarantine for 14 months) we could splurge for renting a house at Reunion resort. But that was 20 minutes away, and for the cost of a “fun house,” we could absolutely stay on property using mostly cheaper rooms and instead splurge on the bookends using our DVC points and cash for nicer rooms. Bonus, we could literally walk/bus everywhere so no need to rent a car.
For those seriously considering a working vacation…do it. We worked during the days, keeping west coast hours since that’s where most of our team is. When a break was needed, we stood up and walked to Epcot where we grabbed something fast and did a lap around the showcase. Then we went back, finished work, and met up for dinner somewhere fun. The rest of the evening was spent walking around and enjoying Disney until we went back to the room where I would pass out and he would take calls from his partner or code until he passed out around 2 or 2:30 am.
We probably walked more in those 2 months than we had in the 12 previous months combined.
Is it for planners who want to squeeze every last second of every day at Disney, probably not? But it was absolute perfection for nonplanners like us who wing most everything except dining reservations.
I almost tagged you guys too! I opted to use him as bait instead
I assume Swan won’t work for a lead reservation?? I wanted to test it, but while MDE sees it and shows 60+10 on the calendar, it won’t let me book anything past 60 days.
Full Disclosure: I did not read the whole thread. I read the first couple pages but this whole thing makes me so squeamish!
I have 2 reservations, they are split stays in December. It’s a couples’ trip, and I really want to do some tours (Animal Kingdom Trek, Keys to the Kingdom). Since my split stays are only 4 days and 3 days, I’m guessing I’m gonna have to jump in on this leading reservation thing…
So if I make the reservation using my husband’s MDE, will the dining ADRs and the tours stay on it after I cancel the leading reservation? He should be “linked” to the real reservations we are keeping on my MDE.
I’d rather not have it on my MDE bc I don’t know, I just feel so nervous about it lol. I am probably 100% irrational.
It is not a problem. I routinely have additional reservations that I either haven’t decided about or are leading/overlapping.
ADR’s do not drop off from your account. I don’t think additional excursions do either.
I usually make the Leading/overlapping reservation, then book my ADRs, and once I am within the 60 day window of the 2nd (split stay) reservation, cancel the leading…
Never had a problem. FYI, some additional experiences are “released” at odd times, so, at 60 days the experience may not be available. For example, I was looking at fireworks desert parties, and they were not released for the day I wanted until I was INSIDE the 60 day mark from that date. Meaning, a leading/overlapping reservation would not have helped for that.
YMMV, but, at least ADRs never drop, you have to specifically cancel them.
IIRC when you drop your leading reservation, it actually warns you that you will need to cancel your ADRs separately. They will not cancel with your accommodation.
I love reading these threads but I’m not gonna lie, sometimes they give me a headache lol. Thanks though we booked an All Stars for our leading reservation!!! I really want to do those tours otherwise I wouldn’t even bother…
Trying to make a lead reservation and nothing is available. Is that possible or am I doing something wrong? We are going 7/9-7/18 and I started trying from the 6/30 date at any resort. Any suggestions? Wish I found this discussion sooner.
Found ressies! Must have been closed late at night.
Do we need more than one MDE account to do this?
I used a leading reservation to get WAT. I wouldn’t have been able to get it without it because it sells out before the 60 day mark. It’s still on my plan, and I cancelled my leading reservation exactly when I got to my last split stay hotel reservations 60 days. Everything is still there including tour and it’s been over a week. I’ve done this before for ADR’s and it worked too. You’ll be fine. I put it all on my account. They only time I can think using your hubby’s might be worthwhile is if there is something you have to call for like cabanas and you don’t want them asking questions.
If I need to make split reservations for a larger group (ex. 4 and 3 for a party of 7), what is the best way to do this?
(1)Make one reservation under my name on my MDE account, and one reservation under my husband’s name on my MDE account? OR
(2) Make one reservation under my name on my MDE account, and one reservation under my husband’s name on his MDE account (which I would have to create)?
Thank you!
Does anyone else NOT have the option right now to cancel a room reservation? I have a leading and my DD has a fake reservation that we’ll need to cancel eventually.
Hoping this is just Disney IT, and not a real issue.
Pretty sure to make an online reservation you have to have an MDE account so if you are making two for the same time it’ll have to be on two different accounts with emails associated. I did this last Oct for Disneyland trader sams.
I opted to use him as bait instead 
