Two Sisters finally get to go to WDW together! - TR has started!

[Flossbolna]

Originally Posted by tiggrbaby

What a fab, fun idea!!!

We somehow have to stay excited about our trip!! It's still so far away!

Originally Posted by TyRy

Wow - what a list! I don't know if I've seen that many movies in the past two years.

Both of us actually see a lot of movies. One of the advantages of living in a big city is that there is plenty of choice. Also none of us has TV at home, so we rent a lot of DVDs (including TV stuff).

Originally Posted by IBelieveInTheMagic

That is quite a list! It would easily take me longer than 6 mos to even put a dent in it! Did you have Tinkerbell in the list? I can't remember - I love Tink and I think the movie is so well done. The new one comes out in a few mos so I actually can't wait!!

Gute Abend!

Heather

Thanks for the tip! Unfortunately this is not available at our video store. If I come across it at a sale, I might be tempted to pick it up!

Originally Posted by If U Had Wings

That's a great list! I'm going to have to catch a few of those myself. I'm very excited. I've never seen Swiss Family Robinson, and just realized last night that it's going to be playing on Turner Classic movies Friday night. I made sure to set my DVR already.

I hope you managed to catch it! I have strange memories of that film. I remember it being on TV quite often when I was a child, but I never watched it from the beginning to the end and for some reason I never liked it at all. However, I thought it would have been interesting to see it as an adult!

Originally Posted by mickeysmyboy

Great list! May I also suggest Fantasia!? Maybe harf to find but if you can find it definitely take a look!

Actually, our video store has it on VHS, so I will add it to our list. Tanks for the tip!

Originally Posted by PracPerfPatricia

Wow-that's a pretty thorough list...you'll have a good time making your way through those-I really love the classic stuff-the Silly Symphonies, Fantasia, Snow White-gorgeous animation-so pretty...Peter Pan, Sleeping Beauty, Alice...

Nightmare before Christmas comes to mind-while not classical Disney-you see a lot of Nightmare merchandise in the Studios and I think he (Jack) is out for the Halloween Party...

Its all very creatively done...

Have a fun Film Fest....

I did see a number of the classics before my last trip and really enjoyed it. I really liked Peter Pan which I had not seen before! Nightmare before Christmas is a really good film. I saw it in 3D a couple of years ago in the cinema, I think it was a re-release. I actually like a lot of the Tim Burton films! But I will add it to our list for Katharina.

Did you ever see the Nightmare before Christmas overlay for the HM in Disneyland? I saw that in 2005 and thought it was fantastic!

Originally Posted by tarak

Flossbolna, I would be so excited if they re-did Fantasyland. I used to love the submarine ride at Disneyland, so if they resurrected it somehow, that would be wonderful (I think they converted it into a Finding Nemo ride at Disneyland). I like the Barnstormer, but I think it's only about 30 seconds long. My older daughter, who loves roller coasters, could only say "that's it?" when it was over. She's iffy on whether she wants to tackle Space Mountain, so I'm not too upset that it will be closed when we get there in a few months.
And that's sweet that you wanted to play with your sister. My younger daughter keeps wanting to take home a different baby because her brother is too old now (he's not even 2, but I guess she's a fan of the very little ).
I had to add this tidbit - my husband just sent me this link and it looks like the rumors may very well be true!
WDW Fantasyland refurb

Thanks for the link! It really looks like there will be some good things coming to Fantasyland.

[Flossbolna]

Originally Posted by brookelizabeth

Wow! That is a big list! Do you think you'll be able to tackle a good number of them?

I would also suggest Pinocchio...but that's the only one I can think of that isn't already on your list!

I hope we will be able to see quite a few! I have added Pinocchio, but I must say that that is one I never was very fond of as a child. But perhaps it would be worth to see it again with adult eyes!

Originally Posted by 2xcited2sleep

LOVE your movie list! I am proud of myself b/c I have actually seen ~15 of those movies. I've been thinking I need to catch up too so your list will be a perfect tutor for me!

I just counted - and if you take all the movies on my list, I have seen 41 of them at one point in my life. I think I don't have so much catching up to do. But this includes films like Pete's Dragon which I loved as a child and which I have not seen for at least 20 years or so. I guess it will be fun to watch it again!

Originally Posted by Lady Lallie

I love your movie list. How sad that you can't get Swiss Family Robinson. That is one of my favorites!!

I really would have loved to see that one. As I wrote before, I never enjoyed it as a child and thought it would have been so interesting to see it again and figure out why I disliked it!

[Flossbolna]

I just came back from a wonderful day at a lake with Katharina and my DBIL. We had lots of fun in the water and it was a wonderful summer day! It felt like a mini vacation! We had a waterprrof disposable camera and were trying to create underwater shots. I am looking forward to see how that worked out!

Of course I managed once again to miss one of those milestones counting down to our trip! We are already at 177 days. I must say that I am a huge fan of the shift to 90 days for ADRs. This means that we still have nearly three months to plan our days! It is fun to prepare those decisions, reading reviews of the restaurants and such. Katharina even has started to read trip reports to get a feel of how other people structure their days! I guess she is lurking on a number of our dear readers' reports!

And once we have settled on the ADRs it will be end of October. Which means that Christmas season will soon start with other excitement going on and once the holidays are over, it is less than a month until we arrive at WDW! So we will never have a long period of time where everything is settled and we have no more planning to do! That would be horrible!!

Also, I just checked and the new room rates for 2010 are out! It looks like for value season the moderates stayed the same, but now are 10 $ more expensive on weekend nights. That would be a 20 $ increases for us. AKL pool view room went up 5 $ per night (no weekend night surcharge here...), so this would be a 45 $ increase for us. Of course I would have preferred the room rates to stay where they are, but this increase will be bearable for us!! Of course we still will be hoping for a discount!!

So I count on getting an email from my travel agent soon! I wrote her a while back and she promised to send me pricing when the new rates came out. So we are all set to book!! And it looks very much like it will be AKL!!

Now I just hope that the exchange rate stays the way it is right now: We get 1,42 $ for 1 Euro. That's not the best it has been, but better than the 1,37 it was a few months ago. So the big question is: Do we pay a big chunk of the resort price now, or do we wait? We have the money in our savings acount where we get interest (not much, but something). I guess if I really want to make an informed decision I need to do some math...

[PracPerfPatricia]

It sounds like the room rates didn't go up too much which is great...I so hope you get to stay at AKL and know you love it... and I have to say I agree with you...obviously...

I feel your pain on the exchange rate-we are hoping to going to Paris for a week in the spring...and actually we hope the Euro goes down...(sorry... It actually isn't as bad for us as it was for a while-although the pound is even better-actually London is a relatively good travel buy now (better for Americans then it's been in years...it's kind of a shame that it is always going to be better for one side than they other...although we should all hope the economy of all the industrial powers strengthen up...

It is really hard to know when to lock in your rate...it's a bit of a gamble really...

Under 180 days starts to make it feel more and more real...


(Lucky you to see the overlay of Nightmare Before Christmas on the HM-I'd love to see that...I so want to go to the parks for a Halloween time...

I love NBC-I think it is a perfect mix of lite horror mixed with comedy-a little noir but not too much-its just a really enjoyable film but I like most of Tim Burton's stuff-I thought Corpse Bride was good and am really looking forward to see what he's going to do with Alice in Wonderland-and its a Disney film like Nightmare... (opens in March...)

[jenjolt]

YAY for 2010 rates!! I'm glad it wasn't too much of an increase for you guys!!!! I'm sure it will be a day of celebration when you finally pay off your package!!!

Can't wait to see your underwater pictures from your vacation, sounds like a great time!

[brookelizabeth]

Yesterday we got your planning DVD in the mail.... I have to get to Target to get a shipping envelope and I'll try to get it out this Saturday when I can make it to the post office. I'll send you a PM when I get that far.

I was relieved to see just the small increase on both the tickets and the hotels. I was hoping they wouldn't increase them BOTH, but....

Sounds like you had a wonderfully relaxing day at the lake! Are you going to share your underwater pictures?

[mickeysmyboy]

I'm glad the price increases wheren't to bad!! $45 really very little in comparison to the whole chunk of change for the trip!

Sound like you had fun at the lake! I'd love to see the underwater pictures!

I have to agree about 90 days! I have more then 2 months until adr time! I think it October 11th for me (Have to double check that!) I have some idea now of where we want to go but I know I have lots of time to get everything set! Once my kiddos go back to school in Sept I'll have myself some disney days and actually sit with my laptop and plan, plan, plan!!

[If U Had Wings]

I was plugging in some days for next year and noticed the surcharges for the weekends too. I was thinking it was just because I was looking at dates during the Food & Wine Fest, but it seems like it's just how Disney is going to be pricing things now. I find it a bit annoying.

I'm glad though that your rates didn't go up too much though. I'll be hoping you get a good discount!

[2xcited2sleep]

Isn't 2010 planning fun? I am also very pleased with the change to 90 days for ADRs. Makes planning a bit more civilized!

Glad you had fun at the lake. Hope you can share some of your underwater photography!

[tarak]

flossbolna - I had no idea you could get underwater disposable cameras. I'll have to get a few for my kids. We'll be staying at AKL and I was thinking they'd love to take pictures in the pool. Or at least I would .

[PracPerfPatricia]

Knock, knock. Is Floss home? Is she okay? Can she come out to play?

[Flossbolna]

Originally Posted by PracPerfPatricia

Knock, knock. Is Floss home? Is she okay? Can she come out to play?

Hi! I was "home" - visiting my parents and then my flat in Nuremberg, so not much computer time at my parents' and no internet () in Nuremberg... But now I am back in Berlin and have a second week off from work, so I am planning on doing lots of updating this week!!

[Lady Lallie]

Originally Posted by Flossbolna

Hi! I was "home" - visiting my parents and then my flat in Nuremberg, so not much computer time at my parents' and no internet () in Nuremberg... But now I am back in Berlin and have a second week off from work, so I am planning on doing lots of updating this week!!

Yay for lots of updates!

[Flossbolna]

Originally Posted by Lady Lallie

Yay for lots of updates!

At the moment I am busy trying to read all my subscriptions... Catching up with the DIS after a vacation is worse than catching up at work!!! Update will come at some point tonight (which for you will be 6 hours earlier in the day).

[Flossbolna]

Sorry that I have been away for so long. I am on vacation at the moment and spend last week visiting my parents. They are moving in September to an appartment in Nuremberg, the city where I normally live. So this was the last time I got to stay in the house where I grew up. Actually we moved there when I was 15, so I only lived there for a few years, but still it has been home for me for over 20 years now... Then I was at my own appartment in Nuremberg for some time. Since my job sent me to Berlin for a limited time, they pay the rent for my appartment in Berlin and I could keep the one in Nuremberg. I usually go there about once a month to meet up with friends and so. Now I will be able to meet up with my parents, too. Their new appartment is 8 min walk from my door to their door! Now I am back in Berlin, but still off from work.

Originally Posted by PracPerfPatricia

It sounds like the room rates didn't go up too much which is great...I so hope you get to stay at AKL and know you love it... and I have to say I agree with you...obviously...

I feel your pain on the exchange rate-we are hoping to going to Paris for a week in the spring...and actually we hope the Euro goes down...(sorry... It actually isn't as bad for us as it was for a while-although the pound is even better-actually London is a relatively good travel buy now (better for Americans then it's been in years...it's kind of a shame that it is always going to be better for one side than they other...although we should all hope the economy of all the industrial powers strengthen up...

It is really hard to know when to lock in your rate...it's a bit of a gamble really...

Under 180 days starts to make it feel more and more real...


(Lucky you to see the overlay of Nightmare Before Christmas on the HM-I'd love to see that...I so want to go to the parks for a Halloween time...

I love NBC-I think it is a perfect mix of lite horror mixed with comedy-a little noir but not too much-its just a really enjoyable film but I like most of Tim Burton's stuff-I thought Corpse Bride was good and am really looking forward to see what he's going to do with Alice in Wonderland-and its a Disney film like Nightmare... (opens in March...)

I guess we should make a deal that the Euro needs to stay strong at the moment but go into rapid decline in February 2010 Unless you plan to prepay lots of things! A week in Paris sounds wonderful. I actually never managed to see Paris properly. I know more of the Disneyland next to it...

I like a lot of Tim Burton stuff, too. Corpse Bride was wonderful and I adored Charlie and the Chocolate Factory! I am really looking forward to Alice in Wonderland. We are lucky, it is scheduled for March 2010 for Germany as well. Sometimes movies start here months later than in the US.

Originally Posted by jenjolt

YAY for 2010 rates!! I'm glad it wasn't too much of an increase for you guys!!!! I'm sure it will be a day of celebration when you finally pay off your package!!!

Can't wait to see your underwater pictures from your vacation, sounds like a great time!

Underwater pictures turned out great, will be coming up some time this week!

Originally Posted by brookelizabeth

Yesterday we got your planning DVD in the mail.... I have to get to Target to get a shipping envelope and I'll try to get it out this Saturday when I can make it to the post office. I'll send you a PM when I get that far.

I was relieved to see just the small increase on both the tickets and the hotels. I was hoping they wouldn't increase them BOTH, but....

Sounds like you had a wonderfully relaxing day at the lake! Are you going to share your underwater pictures?

Underwater pictures are coming! Thanks for your efforts with the DVD! I awaiting it anxiously. But I will need to wait for Katharina and her DH to return from their vacation until we get to see it!

Originally Posted by mickeysmyboy

I'm glad the price increases wheren't to bad!! $45 really very little in comparison to the whole chunk of change for the trip!

Sound like you had fun at the lake! I'd love to see the underwater pictures!

I have to agree about 90 days! I have more then 2 months until adr time! I think it October 11th for me (Have to double check that!) I have some idea now of where we want to go but I know I have lots of time to get everything set! Once my kiddos go back to school in Sept I'll have myself some disney days and actually sit with my laptop and plan, plan, plan!!

It would have been nice to have $ 45 more, but I guess that's ok...

On the 90 days... well you will read about it in my next update!

Originally Posted by If U Had Wings

I was plugging in some days for next year and noticed the surcharges for the weekends too. I was thinking it was just because I was looking at dates during the Food & Wine Fest, but it seems like it's just how Disney is going to be pricing things now. I find it a bit annoying.

I'm glad though that your rates didn't go up too much though. I'll be hoping you get a good discount!

Disney really seems to try to get a more demand driven price structure. As a single adult who can travel whenever they want, this really works out ok for me, but what I don't like is that they just take their old prices and then add a surcharge. I think the reason is that they need to show an increase in profit every year for the stock market to be happy with them. And that's their way to do it. I think a long time planning would be better than a short term profit. When will people stop paying those prices? The DDP is already not a good deal for me anymore. And I would never consider it with its new "holiday price" of 46.99 $!

Originally Posted by 2xcited2sleep

Isn't 2010 planning fun? I am also very pleased with the change to 90 days for ADRs. Makes planning a bit more civilized!

Glad you had fun at the lake. Hope you can share some of your underwater photography!

2010 planning is great!! It looks like we were in the minority on the 90 days. See my new update on ADRs...

Originally Posted by tarak

flossbolna - I had no idea you could get underwater disposable cameras. I'll have to get a few for my kids. We'll be staying at AKL and I was thinking they'd love to take pictures in the pool. Or at least I would .

You definitely should get those! I actually learned about them on the internet! When I researched that first trip that never was in 99 I read about them on the Blizzard Beach FAQ at allears.net (then wdwig.com). I remember how impressed I was by that invention!