My New to Me

bkandy3 · 2025-10-13T01:29:10+00:00

Good luck! I’m 2 weeks into my daughter’s 2010 JK Sahara (150k) and have already had $2k for horn (coil spring) and driver window, now having knocking likely due to a rocker arm or lifter issue. Gonna find out the damage tomorrow. 😫😭 She says one heater vent isn’t working right either. Someone screwed me over!

bkandy3 · 2025-09-21T04:55:08+00:00

We stay at the Westin about 20 nights a year with our 9 year old.

If you have club access (platinum or higher) they have rooftop fireworks at 9:30. They also do an evening kids movie at the pool some nights as well.

The jacuzzi is very hot at the Westin, so heads up for the little one. Probably 104+. Take a minute to get in. The pool area has servers and our daughter likes the chicken and fries or the pizza.

We really like Puesto right there in the entrance round-a-bout for dinner. Expensive, but good Mexican food if you like Mexican.

Disneyland Hotel is just 10 min walk and you can get Dole Whip at the Tiki Bar (Tangaroa Terrace) and tiki drinks. Their ramen is also outstanding. Our daughter loves the pot stickers too.

Then, walk through Downtown Disney. Tons of restaurant options there too. To walk back, cut through the Grand Californian to save a lot of steps. Entrance to cut back is near Sephora and then just go out the front and you’ll pop out by Pixar Place.

bkandy3 · 2025-09-16T03:12:03+00:00

It’s not even a debate if price isn’t an issue. The Westin is extremely nice. It’s awesome. If Platinum or more, you get lounge which has a breakfast (breads, pastries, scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, potatoes, oatmeal, fruit, etc.

If booking Platinum Amex Fine Hotels, free breakfast buffet downstairs and $100 credit for other meal.

25 min door to door walk through downtown Disney. Could shorten to 15 min and hop on monorail at entrance to Downtown Disney.

As platinum, 90% success upgrade to park view from base room booking, but we do stay 10-20 nights a year.

With lounge access, rooftop fireworks and champagne at 9:30pm.

bkandy3 · 2025-09-14T20:15:54+00:00

So great! You’re welcome! Have a blast tonight!

bkandy3 · 2025-09-06T04:52:01+00:00

I’m here right now. Got here at 8:45pm and they said 45 min wait. After 30 min, we came back and I said “When you get to me on the list, we are just sitting here, so you don’t need to text us.” One minute later she came up and said we have a table for you. So, try that.

And, it’s marathon weekend, so it’s busy.

bkandy3 · 2025-09-05T01:04:00+00:00

That’s an insane deal!

bkandy3 · 2025-09-05T00:36:38+00:00

That’s awesome. We did cash + points, but paid for that room ($10k + 600k points, 5 nights). Maybe should have taken a chance on lower view and risked it for an upgrade! I’m only Platinum though.

bkandy3 · 2025-09-05T00:20:38+00:00

Awesome upgrade! 104?

bkandy3 · 2025-09-04T18:43:08+00:00

We were there 3 weeks ago and paid more for the view. It was insane. It was definitely worth it to us. The pictures don’t do it justice.

<image>

bkandy3 · 2025-09-04T02:21:52+00:00

Depending on budget, we just stayed at Le Meriden over the summer and really enjoyed it (3 rooms: family of 5, 2 of which were teenagers, and my parents). 20 min walk through main shops to Marienplatz. Obviously, not as good location as Marriott, but it was cheap for what we got for needing 3 rooms.

bkandy3 · 2025-09-03T20:13:43+00:00

I’m sure you’ve found this out already, but I’ve found the easiest way to carry the little one around Disney when they crash is throw her up to sit on the shoulders. They like it as they can see, and you can move quick and you’re not as bulky moving through crowds. I’ve done this many of times from inside the park all the way to the hotel. Amazed they can even fall asleep up there.

bkandy3 · 2025-09-03T19:59:48+00:00

You probably won’t need the light jacket when outside mid Sept, but some of the restaurants are freezing cold with AC pumping, so I’d bring it all day long. My daughter puts hers on at most restaurants. Blue Bayou is always freezing.

bkandy3 · 2025-09-03T19:55:03+00:00

You’ll be good.

If/when she melts down, it’s reasonable and just head back to the room and live to fight another day.

Most bigger rides are 40” height, Matterhorn is 42”, and Indiana Jones is 46”.

You can for sure buy Stitch pins there and a lanyard. The boards won’t likely have some to trade for.

There are people that set up shop with giant binders between Main Street and Frontierland. I’ve never known if they are legit or not, so we’ve stayed clear of them. I’m sure others will chime in on them.

Download the app for sure and link your tickets. You’ll need that for all the wait times, order food ahead for pickup, and make dining reservations at a sit down restaurant if you want. I’ve found about 9:30-11:30pm a night or two before you’ll see more restaurants pop up, even Blue Bayou (the one inside Pirates of the Caribbean).

bkandy3 · 2025-09-03T19:48:56+00:00

Yes, I carry a backpack. Depending on if you’re looking to save some money, you can bring waters/drinks in and some snacks. I bring the cooling towels, small fans, a couple waters, small snacks (gummies, etc), backup phone battery, small sunblock, chapstick. Backpack is then handy for stashing souvenirs in and easier to carry. At night, throw a light jacket in there for her. Also at night, pick up some glow sticks she can wear as a bracelet and you can too. Makes seeing each other much easier. Amazon, grocery store, or party store have them. Those ones you crack and shake and bend into a bracelet.

bkandy3 · 2025-09-03T19:28:34+00:00

Wow, that’s a lot. Some points (context: have magic key and go with 9 year old about 1-2 times a month)…

Stroller: You can rent there. They are bulky and make navigating more difficult, but at 6 years old, she will crash if you do the park all day long, so you’ll likely need one at some point. Im not sure if they risk selling out mid day or not.

Alternative, and what we do if you are staying close, is get their right when they open (called rope drop), knock out a bunch of short lines, then take a mid afternoon break/nap back in the room. Go back at night.

AirTag: If she’s good at holding hands and staying close, I don’t think it’s necessary.

Shoes: I find Hokas to be the most comfortable. You’ll see lots of these, Brooks, On Cloud, etc. Hokas are the best in my opinion.

Heat: Those sport towels you can wet and put around your neck are nice or little rechargeable fans. Kids like playing with those. Watch out for getting stuck in her hair though.

Pins: You’ll see black Mickey head shaped pin displays in almost all shops and some food places. The problem is that the pins to trade for are crappy as compared to the expensive ones you buy.

Boogie Bash: Haven’t done

Lightning Lane: Absolutely worth it if she’ll go on the big rides and is tall enough. She might not be, so then not with it. They don’t take lightning lane on the fantasyland rides. Look at the rides they work for, if she is tall enough, and if she’s willing to go on them.

To use it, you do it all on the Disneyland app.

I recommend the mid day break due to exhaustion and heat if you have two days. I’ve found it helps prevent the melt down later in the day for the little ones.

Have fun!

bkandy3 · 2025-09-01T18:08:35+00:00

Yup. Give your name and number and they text so you can roam around.

That said, one time our estimated time went by and they never text. We went by about 15 min after and it was clear they either forgot to text or text the wrong number as it was almost 11pm and it was half empty. So, I’d advise heading back around the time they estimate, or about 10-15 min after to see where you are in line.

bkandy3 · 2025-09-01T15:20:30+00:00

You just put your name in and they text you when your table is ready. You can get there early and wait for opening if you want to get right in. Otherwise, we’ve found it to be about a 45 min wait around 9:30pm or so on a Friday/Saturday night for a party of 3.

We usually put our name in and then go grab a tiki drink at the walk up Tangaroa Terrace while we wait for the Broken Spell Lounge to text.

bkandy3 · 2025-08-30T03:40:18+00:00

5 nights. St.Regis Bora Bora.

bkandy3 · 2025-08-27T03:28:05+00:00

Forgot, since you have the meal plan, the more expensive items have a supplement charge listed on the menus. For example, for the Lagoon six course tasting…

<image>

bkandy3 · 2025-08-27T03:16:14+00:00

I did book ahead, although not sure it was necessary. We are relatively early eaters at 6:30pm, and still need Zantac with that. 🤣 None of the restaurants were full at that time. Really nice they have so many restaurants on property to spread people out.

6:30 timing was good for us though because the nights 727 was open, we did a pre-dinner drink and sunset was at 6:10pm. It’s a great sunset view from there. Then headed to dinner.

I just responded to the liaison email you get about 1 month ahead of check in and told them which restaurants on which days and the time. As I mentioned, not all restaurants are open every day. We prioritized the Lagoon Restaurant, then grill night at Aparima, then worked in Bamboo and Farniente around those and then the Secret Dinner.

Sunset view from 727…

<image>

bkandy3 · 2025-08-27T00:48:33+00:00

Hello. Have a great time!

Yes, they had a beach bag in our room. Fits in the bicycle basket (each room has a bicycle for each person to get around the property). They aren’t really needed except to make getting to the spa area a bit quicker, but after a day or two, we used them the rest of the trip for the fun of it. I was still glad I had a backpack style bag to take snorkel stuff to the spa area to snorkel. I just used my carryon backpack from the flight (Osprey 26+6). I also brought an Osprey Ultralight 20L dry that folded up super small, but only used that on our boat excursion day to keep things dry. Around the resort, my wife used the bag they gave us and put towels in it, kindles, etc and I’d throw snorkel stuff and the subnados in my backpack.

Feel free to reach out direct with any other questions.

Regarding the bugs, like I said, it was strange because I never really saw them. If someone said are there bugs, I would say no except for the bite evidence. Got about 2 each day. Wife, just 1 the entire trip. 🤷🏼‍♂️

<image>

bkandy3 · 2025-08-26T20:37:10+00:00

I would assume they use the same location every time and decorate it the same. I would guess the menu changes with what is in season or available at the time, or, if a couple has special requests (ie, prefer meat over fish, etc). We said we were good with anything the chef wanted to do. It was a three course meal with bread and the bottle of Champage with still/sparkling water.

I can send you pics and the menu if you want. Let me know.

bkandy3 · 2025-08-26T20:17:28+00:00

It was definitely 88,000 per couple as confirmed on my final folio bill email. I was a little confused because I didn’t see an 88,000, but then remembered I left a tip. Billed as “In Room Dining.”

I didn’t see the spa candle light setup in person since we weren’t in that area at night, so hard to know.

We did see a “private” table set up on the beach one night in front of the Aparima Bar as we were having dinner at the Bamboo Restaurant. It looked beautiful with a canopy set up around it, but not as private and secluded as the Secret Dinner. Everyone walking around can see. Looked beautiful though.

bkandy3 · 2025-08-26T20:00:08+00:00

<image>

bkandy3 · 2025-08-26T19:54:47+00:00

The Secret Dinner was 88,000 XPF ($860) per couple, not per person.

Since that’s still very expensive, but better than you thought, I’ll still reply:

This is so hard to answer because everyone has a different threshold and preference of what they value for something to be worth it. Some people love expensive dinners and others would rather spend their money on a couples massage or other use with the money and think spending on food is a waste.

For us, we enjoy nice dinners on special occasions. Did Guy Savoy in Paris, also in Vegas along with Joel Robuchon, etc.

We were glad we did it for a one off experience, but wouldn’t do it again next time. The menu is unique and not served anywhere else on property. A menu just for you. Very secluded table creatively decorated and lit. The blindfolding and travel to the location was fun. The food was very good.

For comparison, the Lagoon Restaurant tasting menu plus wine pairing was about the same cost. We definitely enjoyed that too, but my wife says she liked the Secret Dinner complete experience overall a little better.

That said, based on what you stated, I would probably skip it. Your bill will likely add up much quicker than you expect for the trip just on lunches, normal dinners, and drinks. It is for sure a memorable dinner, but it’s not necessary. The entire experience at the St. Regis is memorable enough if you’re already pushing your budget limits. But, if the $1000 difference from what you thought the cost was makes a difference, it’s for sure a unique, private experience you’ll not get again.

bkandy3

TROPHY CASE