How to separate the tight-wad from his gold card- the pre-trip.

[Tinker*Shell*Bell]

I have to do somthing to stave off the boredom of waiting. Our trip is 4 months away and I am ready to start packing now...I want it to be TIME TO GO!!

So...I'll share the long version of my plans...the way I talk there is never a short version anyway! :rotfl:

The crew for this trip is:
Me, obsessive planner extraordinare.
Hubby, keeper of the gold card.
Brat child, 15 boy and full of attitude (secretly excited to go.)
Disaster child, 14 boy and all about the food and happens to be high functioning autistic.
Lovey, the sweetest 8yo son ever made.
Monster baby, almost 3 and almost evil (but she looks cute in pig tails..none of the boys would let me put them in pig tails :confused3 )

So....
Drop off the Expedition with a friend so we skip long term parking (big truck + small spaces = big scratches!)
JetBlue Portland,ME to MCO (why pay more when I can pay less?)
Limo to GF (why take a free bus when I could pay for a limo?)
Garden View room at the Grand Floridian (why pay for conceirge?...we won't use it enough.)
Order a custom b-day cake for the monster baby's 3rd b-day (So what's $100 for a cake???...right??? It's only money.)
Paid for the dining plan because it's easier, not likely to save much money, but hubby likes to not deal with prices...it will surely become a theme of the trip.

You may already be noticing some inconsistencies to the spending habits in this family. You see, hubby makes the money and I like to spend it. BUT...hubby likes constant luxury and I like a good deal. So. GF on a 40% code and cheaper plane tix but on non-stop flights make everyone happy. The rest of the spending is me, he is not a spender, but he lets me do it, and I love him for that. :lovestruc He is happier to not know the price and just to have what he wants...no problem, I am so willing to help with that.

[As a side note- this is the man that spent over $2000 on "stuff" last time we were there. And we had the dining plan then too. He prefers to just swipe his card and go. Do not however mention the price to him. He will say no to a $35 stuffed mickey if you mention the price. He will adore and willingly buy $200 mickey earrings if he is not told the price. (He is not nuts, he knows that the terms "14K and genuine amethyst" come with a price...he is just happier not knowing. He is never shocked or mad at the final bill, he just hates to deal with reality when he is on vacation.]

So..We all seem to like food and have many meals planned:
Liberty Tree Tavern, Kona Cafe, Teppan Edo, Whispering Canyon Cafe, Marrakesh and Chef Mickey (breakfast) for the whole family.
Then 1900 Park Faire without the teen boys (there is only so much PRINCESS they can take!)
Narcossee's without any kids...hubby does not know the kids are not going. I am using Kids Nite Out. That will be a nice surprise for him.
I am also taking just the monster to Cinderellas Royal Table for breakfast one morning. Mostly because I have always wanted to eat in the castle, and what the Queen wants the Queen gets. :lmao: (OK, I really had 2 TS credits left on the plan and this seemed like a good way to use them...but it sounded better the other way.)

While the Monster Princess and the Queen eat in the castle the boys have plans too. Lovey is off on a Pirate Cruise. Not to be left out, the older boys and King Tightwad will be renting a boat. I will have to twist his arm on this (because I will not be there to hide the price board from him) but with the boys pushing and me pulling he WILL get to the marina and get them out on a boat.

Then I decided to get selfish! I am going to Epcot early one morning to take the Segway around the world tour. I can have a spa day near home but segway is just not happening in Maine. My boys are green with envy but too young to go. If I could lie for the older one I really would but I am afraid they would ask for ID. He will be 15 and 3 weeks...not quite 16...in fact, not anywhere near 16 at all. Oh well, I will take lots of pictures to torment him with later.

I am trying to fit a long pool afternoon into the schedule so we can rent a cabana...because it would be fun. But I think I have jammed every day full to the point of having to skip a princess nap if we get a cabana...and one thing we NEVER do is skip a nap with the princess (she turns into an evil princess without the nap! Puts Aurora's dear step-mother to shame!)

I am still looking for more things to stuff into the plans, I don't stop looking until we get there and then I forget most of the plan and just enjoy the ride (literally.)

And now, since Cinderella has moved out with the prince, I now have to go clean my own house. I hate that part of my day.

:flower3: Sheli

[dvc at last !]

This sounds very interesting ...
love your style !


:cool1:

[mrsksomeday]

I love your writing style and attitude. I would love to go to WDW with a little girl. The plans sound great, seems like you are doing things for everyone. I am jealous about the segway tour, I bet it will be so much fun!!

I can't wait to hear more popcorn::.

[Tinker*Shell*Bell]

All trip planning begins somewhere, this trip began while we were on the last trip.

So, we have to rewind for a moment...July 2006, 4th of July week to be precise.

We did the "absolute dream trip." Everyone got to pitch in their dreams and plans were tailored to everyone. I was sure the tightwad would never go again so I even booked my all time dream....Magic Kingdom view at the Contemporary. We could see the fireworks from the balcony, no crowds no lines! We had the dining plan when it included the appies and tips (he loved that part...no prices involved at all.) The CR had great activities for the holiday and my dad (parents went on that trip) won free boat rentals for all of us in a pie eating contest (free! hubby's favorite word!) We were there for 4 days and then moved to the Polynesian for 4 more nights and basked in warm tropical nights and many drinks with pink umbrellas.
:beach:
The week was PERFECT! (as is any week involving pink umbrella drinks.)

One amazing night, after a day of pouring rain, we took the monster baby to dinner at the Grand Floridian. Even tiny baby princesses "need" to see Cinderella in person. (Ok, the idea here is mom insists the baby girl NEEDS to see and do things, and tightwad pretends it is for the baby because she is the ruler of his world and therefore if she NEEDS it, it must happen.) Well, she loved it!

Then, As we were walking the winding path back to the Polynesian... the all time, most unexpected, yet oft dreamed words escaped my husband's mouth...

Next time we should stay at the Grand Floridian.

NEXT TIME? NEXT TIME? I think I may have turned to him and yelled, (in a very happy voice) "NEXT TIME?????"
:cool1:
That's all it took for me. I have been planning this trip ever since those words escaped his lips!!! I bet he never imagined the trouble I could cook up in 2 years...boy is the DIS in trouble with him. :rotfl2: :disrocks:

[stagemomx3]

Love it! Can't wait to read more.

[Tinker*Shell*Bell]

The four children listed above have kept me too busy to post, but I want to do this and do it right!


My poor little Visa card was getting no exercise at all so I pulled it out and called the Disney Florist. GIFT BASKETS FOR ALL!
http://a80.g.akamai.net/f/80/71/6h/ftdfloristsonline.com/kernel/imageload/?table=fol3_catalog_images&key1=09-4086AA:APiratesLife_feature&key2=404_featurefor my Lovey!
http://a80.g.akamai.net/f/80/71/6h/ftdfloristsonline.com/kernel/imageload/?table=fol3_catalog_images&key1=09-4086AA:RoyalWelcome_feature&key2=404_featurefor my monster baby!
and 2 of these:
http://a80.g.akamai.net/f/80/71/6h/ftdfloristsonline.com/kernel/imageload/?table=fol3_catalog_images&key1=09-4086AA:MickeyKoolSnack_feature&key2=404_featurefor the teens.

I HAD to add a few things to each basket, but no worries, there will still be plenty of junk to buy while we are there. I wish it worked out that the gifts were IT, but it never happens that way.

For me sending gifts is such fun. I look forward to seeing their faces when they find 4 baskets in the room...this is the childhood I wanted! (Of course if you see my hubby around here let him know about the rose with the silver bracelet at the florist...he will never think of it on his own but he really wants to give it to me...or he would want to...if he knew about it.

Now the ADR's are made and the gifts ordered and the fun outings are planned and that means only one thing...TIME TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE PLAN! First change was to add a rental car. Hubby was nervous about not having a car and I can't stand him when he is being grumpy so I booked a mini-van, but I'm KEEPING the Limo! (Ok, I did ask his opinion on that one, he said "Go For It!"
So the I added the Afternoon Tea and Wishes cruise. I love fireworks and hate crowds...The Wishes cruise is the perfect solution! And what's $300 for an hour? It's not MY money...please remember that. I plan, he pays, no costs to be mentioned! ;)

I tried to get the monster baby into Bibbidy Boppity Botique but they were booked up for the time we would need. No biggie, she is going to the Barber for her first haircut anyway. (Yes, she is turning 3 without ever having had a haircut. I waited too long for a girl to chop off all her hair and have her look like a boy!)

I also downloaded a paper countdown chain for Lovey, he thinks it is the best thing yet. It is covered with Disney pictures and he runs to it every morning to tear off the next link.

Then, I downloaded planner pages that put all my planning to shame. 38 pages, double sided, full color and spaces for absolutely everything!!! It even helped me to sit down and divide up all the meal credits so that we can eat around the clock the whole week, gain 20 lbs and still pay nothing out of pocket. (Except for Rainforest Cafe, which I have gift cards for! Did I mention that I added RFC? ooops! More food!))

Yes, we share meals, but I should mention that I had weight loss surgery a year ago and I can only eat about 4-6 ounces of food at once. So I share with the kids who don't quite eat adult meals yet anyway. (Please, can we talk about 13 yo's being "adults"?)

And now I have to go feed those kids dinner...again that darned Cinderella did not show up and I am stuck in the kitchen!!!

Next up: how (not) to order a cake!

[Tinker*Shell*Bell]

The GF bakery does not like to make custom cakes. They want you to call the cake hotline and take the "boring" grocery store cake. But, this is my vacation, and a princess birthday...so saying no to me is a bad idea. :rotfl:

I called and asked...they said no. But I am not easily detered!

I called again and told them what I wanted...they said "That'll be $100, and it's more of an anniversary cake than a birthday cake" Semantics my dear..it's a cake!!!

I called again and told them exactly what I want: Chocolate cake, peanut butter mousse, chocolate frosting, pink fondant topped with a pale green fondant ribbon and bow.....she will "have to check with the pastry chef to see if that is possible"

2 weeks pass and no response, so I called again...Of course we can do the cake..it will be $85 and where do you want it delivered? I am still waiting to hear if they can frost mickey heads around the sides (in between the ribbons.) She forgot to ask about that!

It took 3 calls and 4 e-mails to get through this mess. I think they just don't want to bother. (Or, the one on the phone doesn't feel the Magic:wizard: ) Maybe they get a million calls from us internet junkies who want the cake but don't want the cost? I am just not sure why this is so hard!

They have some of the best pastry chefs around (Have you seen the travel channel wedding shows?) and I have hubby's gold card...this should be a match made in heaven! (I will not be telling hubby the cake cost...he will not think $80 for a cake is reasonable for a 3yo...he has no sense of humor at all!)

All of the baby cake was annoying but it pales in comparison to the trouble I am having getting a carrot cake for brat child at our LTT dinner.

He will be in New Mexico hiking with scouts for his real b-day so we thought to have his celebration at Disney. He only eats carrot cake and the MK bakery has THE BEST carrot cake in the world. The Main St bakery is about 3 minutes from LTT, what could be easier? Me walking to the moon would be easier...obviously!!! :badpc:

I have talked to the cake hotline, the MK bakery, the LTT manager and the Main switchboard. For some reason the carrot cake is impossible. BUT remember, I don't take NO for an answer, and I will find a way to get that boy a cake. Heck, it doesn't need to say Happy Birthday, it doesn't need pictures or squiggles or sprinkles..I'll even bring a candle...I just want that cake (for Brat child...I'm not big on cake these days!) Where there is a will there is a way. I'll go to the bakery and buy a whole cake worth of slices and reassemble them If I have to!!! :rolleyes1

I'll let you know how it goes.

[Tinker*Shell*Bell]

This trip has been a whirlwind exercise in futile calls to florida! (See cake above and resort below!)

Early January 08 people on the codes board started talking about a 40% pin code and I started dreaming!

Where O Where would we stay if we could save 40%?
I pulled out the calculator and the disney website and started throwing numbers at hubby...the man who just wants what he wants, and not the numbers!

We could have 2 rooms at AsMo for $110 plus taxes.
We could have a garden room at CR for $140+
We could stay at the GF for $231+
We could have a 2 bedroom BCV suite for $366+
it went on and on, but he stopped me at GF..."BOOK THAT IF YOU GET A CODE."

He figured codes were not likely, but 3 weeks later mine was in my hand. I did nothing to get it, it had my old address on it, my nickname instead of my legal first name but it was mine!

So I called immediately! And they said my code was not mine! I had the card in hand, my old address, but my name...and they insisted there was nothing to be done and they were sorry but better luck next call.

I was devastated! I literally sat and cried! I had wanted that code so bad, then it came and hubby said go for it, but Disney said "sorry!" I gave up at that point! I put down the phone and said forget it!

Of course the keeper of the card handed over his card and said the magical words..."just book it!" I love this man!:lovestruc

About a week later I got annoyed by the code thing. I had the card, I had the % off, It was in my hand and in my name, so I called back. Instead of grumpy I was super sweet.

"Is there any way you can help?" and I got the nicest CM ever, who also had a hard time with the code but looked deeper into her computer and found the code that was mine all along. I thank her so much for the time and effort she put in to make some magic.

Of course, instead of enjoying the savings, I just rolled it all into the Dining plan I was not going to buy...I am a sucker! I know! But the DDP stops all food arguments.

Can I have dessert? - Sure!
Can I have an ice cream? - sure!
Can we go to the castle for breakfast?- Sure!
Can I skip ts dinner and eat a burger?- sure! (more TS for us!)

I told hubby the ddp was free...he likes that word! :rolleyes1 LOL