PHXscuba's Club 33 Christmas

[PHXscuba]

You totally inspired me, so I called to check. I didn't get good news, though. I booked a package, and the discount can't be applied to packages. Ah well, at least I tried. Next time...

So, how are your park plans coming along? Have you made any dining reservations yet? Still staying at PPH? It would be fun if we pass each other in the lobby.

OK, this is a shot in the dark. Depending on your cancellation fee for the package, it might save you money even if you cancel. For example, it saved me $450. If my cancellation fee were $50 per room, I would still have saved money ($450 minus $200 AP upgrade minus $100 cancellation equals $150 saved). Plus the in-park discounts I figure will save me $70-100.

Maybe run the math? With your two rooms it still might be better. I think the AP discount is 20 percent over the weekend.

PHXscuba

p.s. Yes, we are still at the PPH, and I have a reservation for my on's birthday dinner at Goofy's Kitchen!

 

[tksbaskets]

Wahoo! Wahoo!! Wahoo!!!

I am getting my AP!!!!

Those of you who read from the beginning know how I was plotting to get an AP this year ... but was about to give up hope that the discounts would justify it.

So BlackJackDelta (a frequent and very helpful contributor) posted over the weekend about a new hotel discount -- 25% for AP holders -- that runs through Mar. 15 (coincidentally our checkout date).

I called this morning almost afraid to hope that it would apply on my date, to my room type, for both of our rooms ...

I GOT THE AP RATE!!!

The rate saves me $450 on the rooms -- two rooms times 4 nights adds up fast. Getting an AP is about $200 more than my 4-day parkhopper. So I am up $250 already!!

It also means 10% off on food, and the same on souvenirs. I already had the souvenir discount through my Disney VISA, but only when I spend $50 at a time. This means not having to wait and group purchases together -- yeah, like I could get my 4 kids to want stuff from the same store!

I am beyond excited!! This is a dancing-banana occasion!

PHXscuba

Holy Cow! I'll see your and raise you one bash in the face with pixie dust

I once had an annual pass. I loved getting the member magazine and looking at my little AP with my name on it. I hope I can justify it for me in the future too.

You are basically getting your AP for free.

 

[Sherry E]

PHX -

I'm so glad you nabbed the 25% discount - or, rather, that a discount made itself available to you during your trip dates! Those regular, piddly 10% off rack rates with the AP are just not good enough, and the 'good discounts' are few and far between. In fact, Disney used to offer discounts of 30% and 35% off with the AP - so they are still not back to that stage yet, but 25% is really good!

I would have done the same thing - called Reservations and switched to the discount. I've done it before, in fact. I was prepared to do it last December if any discounts had come out (and they never did, which was unusual based on previous December patterns). I always avoid packages and book the "room only" reservations so that I can change the reservations and/or cancel without the penalties/fees/restrictions/limitations that are applied when changes are made to packages.

I still can't believe your trip is almost here! I know I've said it before but when you first started this Pre-TR it seemed as though the trip was far, far away. And now you'll be there in the blink of an eye!

 

[PHXscuba]

Holy Cow! I'll see your and raise you one bash in the face with pixie dust

I once had an annual pass. I loved getting the member magazine and looking at my little AP with my name on it. I hope I can justify it for me in the future too.

You are basically getting your AP for free.

I am feeling very pixie-dusted right now!

PHX -

I'm so glad you nabbed the 25% discount - or, rather, that a discount made itself available to you during your trip dates! Those regular, piddly 10% off rack rates with the AP are just not good enough, and the 'good discounts' are few and far between. In fact, Disney used to offer discounts of 30% and 35% off with the AP - so they are still not back to that stage yet, but 25% is really good!

I would have done the same thing - called Reservations and switched to the discount. I've done it before, in fact. I was prepared to do it last December if any discounts had come out (and they never did, which was unusual based on previous December patterns). I always avoid packages and book the "room only" reservations so that I can change the reservations and/or cancel without the penalties/fees/restrictions/limitations that are applied when changes are made to packages.

I still can't believe your trip is almost here! I know I've said it before but when you first started this Pre-TR it seemed as though the trip was far, far away. And now you'll be there in the blink of an eye!

In general I'm not a fan of travel packages -- I am OCD enough to want to control the pieces more than packages usually let you (same with travel agents). Plus they are often harder to change.

I am seriously excited -- I had pretty much given up the AP dream, especially when all of the discounts seemed to end right before our travel. Now to start plotting the fall/Christmas trip -- where is a devilish mwah-ha-ha smilie when you need one?

Between the no fireworks or Fantasmic and the hotel discount, it looks like Disney isn't expecting our week to be quite as busy ... I just hope they are right and they don't get slammed. I was reading on a WDW site that WDW was expecting 25% less people than usual in January and actually got 25% more! That would cause some long lines and frustration.

PHXscuba

 

[cristyhas3]

Hey! If you find yourself needing to visit the Disney store before your trip, and would like some company, let me know!! I'd love to actually get to go to a DS with someone who "gets it".

 

[PHXscuba]

All right, here's some merriment for your Thursday.

When I originally posted the photos of DS on DH's shoulders, I did not realize the comedy gold I was sitting on. So in the interest of pandering to my readership and their wacky tastes, here are a few more random "Goofy" shots from our trips.

Pooh "making" DS smile -- notice DS' feet are almost completely off the ground!:

Little DD being attacked by a stuffed snake in the Bazaar while waiting for the others to ride Indiana Jones (and yes, her eyes are really that blue):

DD is way too gleeful about the possibility of blowing up ToonTown:

The girls and I trapped like pirates on Tom Sawyer Island:

DS doing his best gargoyle impression while waiting for the France movie in Epcot:

DD took this next one. I include it because when DH saw it, he (literally) giggled and captioned it: "Mom says follow the plan and no one gets hurt."

Hope you enjoyed the look at our silly side!


PHXscuba

 

[Markie Mouse]

Glad to share your Disney obsession, my wife does not feel the same as I do about anything DIS, so it's cool to see I'm not the only one. I am too a band kid, played saxophone(alto,tenor,Bari) for 12+ years. Looking forward to the TR!

 

[kaoden39]

What cute pictures!!

 

[tksbaskets]

I love your silly side! Have you seen my family on the ride photos? Here is a fav from our last trip. The one in the front and the headless one in the second row are my guys.

Such great family memories! Thanks for sharing. I especially like the 'MOM' caption. Truer words never typed

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

I loved all the pics. I am kind of starting to think that random or goofy pictures are better than the posed ones, because they show a lot of the person's personality.

 

[kaoden39]

I love your silly side! Have you seen my family on the ride photos? Here is a fav from our last trip. The one in the front and the headless one in the second row are my guys.

Such great family memories! Thanks for sharing. I especially like the 'MOM' caption. Truer words never typed

What a great picture!

I loved all the pics. I am kind of starting to think that random or goofy pictures are better than the posed ones, because they show a lot of the person's personality.

You know I agree. The giggle happy memories are fun.

 

[PHXscuba]

I love your silly side! Have you seen my family on the ride photos? Here is a fav from our last trip. The one in the front and the headless one in the second row are my guys.

Such great family memories! Thanks for sharing. I especially like the 'MOM' caption. Truer words never typed

Awesome photo!! We have never really done the "silly ride photo" because we have never purchased a Disney ride picture! If we buy the Photopass + like I plan, there will be more incentive to ham it up, especially if it is our second ride.

If we do PP+, I am going to send the lanyard back with DS16 when he goes a week later with the band. I can see him and his friends coming up with some crazy ride photos.

PHXscuba

 

[tksbaskets]

Awesome photo!! We have never really done the "silly ride photo" because we have never purchased a Disney ride picture! If we buy the Photopass + like I plan, there will be more incentive to ham it up, especially if it is our second ride.

If we do PP+, I am going to send the lanyard back with DS16 when he goes a week later with the band. I can see him and his friends coming up with some crazy ride photos.

PHXscuba

I purchased the PP+ and loved getting the jpg of the ride photos!

 

[PHXscuba]

One month from now we should be pulling up to the Paradise Pier Hotel!!

Better yet, it's a SHORT month! Hurrah for 28 days to go!

All right, I am so grateful to all of you who have helped me keep the pre-trip excitement alive since I started my PTR back in October (wow, time flies!). Getting to post about our past trips and our future plans has helped me pass the time while I wait.

So I have a challenge for you ...

This is my penny jar. I have had it since college, I think. It is an older-style glass juice jar. It is probably about 2/3 full of pennies only.

Because I am finalizing our trip funds, and the juice jar is getting so heavy on my bookcase shelf, I am going to open it and count/roll/turn in the pennies toward our trip. More Mickey bars!

YOU get to GUESS how much I have in the jar.

I will send the two people who guess closest to the actual amount a pressed penny of their choice from DLR. Or if you don't want a pressed penny, I'll throw 51 cents in the wishing well along with your wish.

Blah blah legalese this is not a raffle/contest/sweepstakes but a gift blah blah

I will leave the guessing open for one week and pick a winner next Sunday (2/17).

Have fun ... I get to spend time this week counting to 50 over and over.


PHXscuba

 

[cristyhas3]

Wow! That's a lot of pennies. You could take it to the change counting machine at your bank. At mine (Desert Schools), they waive the fee if you deposit into an account.

You may even find a lost treasure when you pour it out! I thought my wedding ring was lost forever. When DD6 was 2, she took my ring and I never saw it again. A year ago I took in all of our change, poured it in the machine and DS found my ring, sparkling, amongst the coins. DD must have put it in her penny bank for safe keeping . I cried happy tears.

My guess is $222.

 

[kaoden39]

Things like that penny jar a re really deceptive. I used to have what I called my bird fund. It's fun to build up pennies like that. As for my guess, hmm..... I have no clue. $168?

 

[tksbaskets]

I suggest the counting machine (if the fee is waved of course)

My guess $129!

TK

 

[sunflare]

If you have access to the Navy Fed branch by Luke, they have a free counting machine in the lobby

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

I'm goin $87

 

[PHXscuba]

I haven't counted yet, but I think you all have WAY overshot my penny total. Remember, it's only pennies. I think one time when it was one-third full I only had about $7.50. So I'm thinking guesses under $100 are more likely to be close. I will give any of you a second guess if you want to revise.

***Sigh*** It looks like the Fast Pass time enforcement is starting before our trip and will be in full force by then. I am going to confess that I have been a FastPass hoarder who gathered all morning and used in the afternoon or evening. I think one day I had 5 sets of FPs at once.

So it will change my touring style. Luckily with roughly two days in each park I don't need to go quite as commando on FP -- we can go slower and be more flexible. I guess it will be more like I used to tour before I knew they could be used late: enter an area and get a FP, then ride smaller rides and eat until the FP time came. Back to the drawing board.

PHXscuba