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Post by toonarmy on Aug 30, 2018 10:23:08 GMT -5
Hoping some team managers would be willing to share their experiences with "working around" the booking of accommodation via Anthony Travel. As our team prepares to go to Disney several team members would like to book their own travel: Things I'm thinking: 1. Are there a minimum number of room bookings required to meet the criteria of having the team booked via Anthony? 2. Since only players are required to stay anyone used the option to put down all team members as additional guests on those rooms booked by those that chose to stay at the Anthony resort. (thus reducing the number of rooms required to meet the team requirement)? 3. Anyone used the option to simple book a single night to fulfill the requirement and then stay elsewhere (over a week it is still cheaper even with the "tax" of an unused room for one night)? Anthony travel say that the do in fact cross reference the players against the bookings and if you haven't placed the player in their accommodation they will not be allowed to play -> Anyone got any input on this? Is this for real or just a scare tactic to get you to book? Frankly the places available via Anthony look "tired and dated" and limited to 2 bedrooms already. We were planning to stay the week and the cost of staying in their accommodation vs what I can find is several hundred $s more... plus the accommodation available online has more space/bedrooms/includes pools. Appreciate any input y'all can provide!!
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Post by toonarmy on Aug 30, 2018 21:11:11 GMT -5
Thanks for the feedback!
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Post by SoccerMom on Aug 30, 2018 22:30:16 GMT -5
Theres a min # of rooms. You will need to ask Anthony travel for the #.
Also a lot of coaches do not allow the players to stay in all different places, so check with them too.
Condos are your best bet while you're there. You have a kitchen and can save $$ by making your own meals, plus they're super roomy. Prices are around $150-200 per night.
Call them instead of doing it online, sometimes they can see stuff that you can't and maybe split you into two different locations.
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Post by atlfutboldad on Aug 30, 2018 22:55:52 GMT -5
What's the general appeal of the disney tournaments? Considering it's about a $500 requirement to play in the tournament per child, what's the general reason for doing it? Name recognition?
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Post by touchlinedad on Aug 31, 2018 8:33:33 GMT -5
This is one of the worst aspects of what I've seen referred to as the "tournament industrial complex." Forcing people to book an expensive hotel via a travel agency indicates to me that tournaments are increasingly more about making money for a community and less about the actual sport. In other tournaments, I've ignored this requirement because the tournament needs my team to fill a spot. Disney, however, is big enough that it has teams begging to attend, so I would think twice about booking elsewhere.
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Post by Soccerhouse on Aug 31, 2018 8:57:22 GMT -5
If you are getting a deal then it makes sense. One other advantage is if you need to leave early or if its win and advance type of event, you are allowed to check out early at no expense. It also is a way to guarentee that teams can get rooms in the area. We've been to Nashville for example for a tourney during Vandy graduation, and if it wasn't for Anthony travel, I'm not sure if teams would be able to book large blocks of rooms for teams.
My big issue is really cost -- most of the time it does not seem like you are getting a "deal" when 3rd party agencies are brought in. I could be wrong. Disney is an entire different issue all together do to the cost of having to spend 5 days in Orlando. Once the kids are only playing 1 day a game, your not at the fields as much, and the excitement wanes.
Either way -- disney as I mentioned in the past the first few times is worth the price of admission, after that it loses its luster quick. Especially in today's landscape with 45 different leagues.
Will also be interesting that Puma historically was a big sponsor there and Arsenal would send a top youth team. Word is Arsenal is switching to Adidas next year...
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Post by surgesoccer on Aug 31, 2018 9:23:11 GMT -5
Last year I was told by Anthony Travel that we had to book a minimum of 5 rooms.
When it comes to choosing rooms the price doesn't always match the place, meaning there are some nice rooms on the cheaper side and some basic places that charge on the higher side. So best bet is to get in early and get one of the resort places like Mystic Dunes, Caribe Royal, Gaylord, JW Marriott, etc. Also the price isn't always the price as many places have a self parking fee that can creep up to $22 per night.
When I book I focus more on what is available for the kids to do when not involved in the soccer aspect. A pool is fine but it gets old quick and if the weather gets chilly then what next. We originally booked the Gaylord which was above the price I wanted but has a full Waterpark (nothing else was available that had stuff for kids to do besides a pool). Then I noticed that the JW Marriott had been added to the list (we stayed there last year). It has a nice pool and a lazy river, plus a game room. Asked my son whether he wanted to stay at Marriott with pool, river and game room or go to Gaylord with water park. He chose the Marriott for the game room.
Last year the kids spent hours at the game room with pool, ping pong, foocheball, 9 hole put-put, free hot chocolatte packs (that became dangerous), popcorn, and two small inflatable bounces. Great space for the boys to hang out together.
The other thing we did, and will do again, is have someone bring their x-box or ps2. I didn't get much rest as I had 8-10 kids in my room hanging out playing FIFA soccer. But the kids had a blast. They probably spent 20% at the pool and the rest split between the game room and x-box.
If you find a place you like that only has 4 rooms grab it. Then work with Anthony to see if any other rooms become available as people return unbooked rooms.
In the end Disney is expensive and a bad option in my opinion but part of being with our club is you agree to go. You should only need 4 nights max - Night before 1st game, nights of each game. If you don't advance out of the group stage you could check out the morning of your last game and save a night.
Finally It's less expensive to go out somewhere to eat verses eating at the hotel in most cases.
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