7 flights, 6 hotels, 1 cruise ship and a major stuff up...brace yourself UPDATE!

[becpee]

Originally Posted by battymum

Becpee

I would consider one of the Universal hotels for your first few nights -, there are cheaper off site options, but seriously WWOHP is awesome, I know you mentioned you werent into Harry Potter, but it would be a shame to go all that way and not go there. There is also the city walk area with restaurants and shopping - They are also reasonably close to the outlet and regular shopping malls (although it would require a taxi).

I wouldnt bother staying at the airport - you will have to check in and muck about - and then have to do it all again the next day.

If it were me, jump in a cab, head to Hard Rock Hotel, its only 20 mins from the airport and wake up to the beautiful pool area there in the morning, ready to start your holiday!!!

You're making sense, pretty sure it'll be hot from the minute we step off the plane and we'll be dying for a swim in a nice spot.
I can't believe the prices of the hotels compared to what we pay here, if you shop around you can get some great deals.

We've booked all of our flights now, checked late Saturday night and noticed a price drop from JFK to LAX, we still had to put a little towards DS's ticket, about $90 so we saved $60, got a redeye flight which is fine with us.
It means we have another full day in New York and we'll get to see the city from the sky at night (cue tears here i'm sure).

DH and I still have over $300 sitting in our Delta e-credits to be used by March 2013, maybe a quick trip to Hawaii to be booked somewhere along the line LOL but we'll see.

So, overall we have (I think) 12 nights accom to book, cities being Orlando, New York and L.A, DH wants to book Grand Cali and i'm pushing for 2 days at Disneyland (might go the credit card booking and just pay it off later LOL).

Coming along but so much money to dish out yet

[australiankaren]

It's exciting isn't it.....150 sleeps to go ish....

Maybe use your delta credit to upgrade yourself on one of the flights, I'm sure the family wouldn't begrudge you a little luxury for all your hard work.
Also look at getting a 30 day delta membership, you can use the lounges at all your USA airport locations....you can take in one guest plus kids...worth the $$$.
The lounge in LAX is lovely.....just buy it when you get to the first lounge, or the day before you leave, it's valid for those following 30 days.

Now have you signed up for your delta and v aust FF program, I have just got DH credited with both Delta and Vaust flight, just get delta number put on your Vaust ticket, then 3 months later apply for vasustralia points.
Worked for him but not for me, don't want to call them again as they may take the 19000 points back of him.

Did you sort the Orlando hyatt hotel, we got a room for $100 but that's for between 9 am and 6 pm on our day of departure.....we fly out 7 pm that night.suits us, we book out of BLT that morning, so a day by the pool watching the planes will make my DH very happy.

Did I mention how exciting this is.....

[Mum from oz]

I got a room at the Hyatt Regency MCO for about $150au. I booked through hoteltravel.com. We really need to be at the Hyatt as we are flying out at 6:55am so can you imagine what time we'd have to be up to drive to the airport, drop off the rental car and check in with the 2 kidlets? It is great to get up and walk into the terminal and check in and off we go. They do have a pool there too.

[becpee]

Originally Posted by Mum from oz

I got a room at the Hyatt Regency MCO for about $150au. I booked through hoteltravel.com. We really need to be at the Hyatt as we are flying out at 6:55am so can you imagine what time we'd have to be up to drive to the airport, drop off the rental car and check in with the 2 kidlets? It is great to get up and walk into the terminal and check in and off we go. They do have a pool there too.

Another great hotel website, Hyatt Orlando Airport came up at $131AUD a night which is a great rate, the whole not having to transport out of the airport that night really appeals, I know we'll be stuffed (and crabby )

[becpee]

Originally Posted by australiankaren

It's exciting isn't it.....150 sleeps to go ish....

Maybe use your delta credit to upgrade yourself on one of the flights, I'm sure the family wouldn't begrudge you a little luxury for all your hard work.
Also look at getting a 30 day delta membership, you can use the lounges at all your USA airport locations....you can take in one guest plus kids...worth the $$$.
The lounge in LAX is lovely.....just buy it when you get to the first lounge, or the day before you leave, it's valid for those following 30 days.

Now have you signed up for your delta and v aust FF program, I have just got DH credited with both Delta and Vaust flight, just get delta number put on your Vaust ticket, then 3 months later apply for vasustralia points.
Worked for him but not for me, don't want to call them again as they may take the 19000 points back of him.

Did you sort the Orlando hyatt hotel, we got a room for $100 but that's for between 9 am and 6 pm on our day of departure.....we fly out 7 pm that night.suits us, we book out of BLT that morning, so a day by the pool watching the planes will make my DH very happy.

Did I mention how exciting this is.....

You're a gun LOL

The 30 day membership is a go definately, DH is going to use his work Diners points for that.

I'm going to have points all over the place LOL which i'm sure i'll be able to use for things at some stage in the future, my QFF (maggots included) are racking up quickly, halfway to a return LA flight

It's great, even my DH is trying to figure out ways to earn points now and he thinks you're a bit of a gun too he's all for trying to get us moved to the next flight home out of LAX for an upgrade

Your DH is a plane watcher? Me too LOL
We went and sat at the lookout the other day just to see the planes come in and take off (i'm a bit of a nerd like that)...

[australiankaren]

hey

points are an addiction, so be careful
great site is www.flyertalk.com
news, chats etc re points, milage runs etc
www.emiles.com
where you can earn delta points
also shop thru Delta.com site ie: disney etc, and get points as well

if you wanted to spend a day doing a milage run with your $300 voucher, that would be awesome, build up points as well...

re: plane watching,in a previous life the DH and i used to be qan$as engineers, so plane watching is our opium of choice

so how many sleeps now you say....148 for us....

cant wait to get out of this damn rainand i was going to walk to the shops today..better get my Canoe out

and the DH had the sprinkler on for 4 hrs yesterday for his "precious" grass

[becpee]

Originally Posted by australiankaren

hey

points are an addiction, so be careful
great site is www.flyertalk.com
news, chats etc re points, milage runs etc
www.emiles.com
where you can earn delta points
also shop thru Delta.com site ie: disney etc, and get points as well

if you wanted to spend a day doing a milage run with your $300 voucher, that would be awesome, build up points as well...

re: plane watching,in a previous life the DH and i used to be qan$as engineers, so plane watching is our opium of choice

so how many sleeps now you say....148 for us....

cant wait to get out of this damn rainand i was going to walk to the shops today..better get my Canoe out

and the DH had the sprinkler on for 4 hrs yesterday for his "precious" grass

21 weeks today! Flying out at 11am so this time in 21 weeks we'll have been in the air for 1 hour and 50 minutes

Melbourne today looks awesome, the perfect day

LOL at your DH's precious grass, I told my DH our precious grass can wait, so at the moment our backyard looks like a BMX track, until we get back and have some spare money (like thats going to happen).
Speaking of other precious grass, we have a police car stationed around the corner has been there for about 20 hours now, I think they're waiting for the occupants of a neighbours home to make an appearance so far no cigar, must have got a tipoff and they've taken off

QANTAS engineers huh? it all starts making sense...

[australiankaren]

sssshhhhhhhhh...we dont talk about our previous life

stake out..cool.
grab your folding chair, an esky and go sit next to the police car....go on, I dare you

me, we are waterproofing the ark all i have to do is find the animals

oh, OT....will you be there for the re-opening of test track
great link
http://www.insidethemagic.net/2012/0...nter-at-epcot/

looks awesome

[becpee]

Originally Posted by australiankaren

sssshhhhhhhhh...we dont talk about our previous life

stake out..cool.
grab your folding chair, an esky and go sit next to the police car....go on, I dare you

me, we are waterproofing the ark all i have to do is find the animals

oh, OT....will you be there for the re-opening of test track
great link
http://www.insidethemagic.net/2012/0...nter-at-epcot/

looks awesome

Cops are gone, I have a feeling they'll be back Pretty close to shift changeover and they probably needed a dunny break

No ark here, no rain until Saturday apparently (pool level is dropping ) plenty of wildlife there too, redbacks, huntsmen, mudlarks and one white cat staking out for the mudlarks LOL (probably a few snakes around too, feeding up on the bunny rabbits).

Test track looks awesome we're dosing up on Disney tv shows and when test track came on we were all going pwhooaarr

Still alot to plan but oh well, 21 weeks to do it in

Pretty sure the little fella knows whats going on, he's not silly, but he's playing along which is nice, he knows that he (and I) always get what he wants and he's been at us for probably close to 2 years to go to Disneyworld.

[australiankaren]

oh dear...what is it with this rain..it was an inch from my back door this morning, and our creek was overflowing

my poor minnie moo , the water was up to her tummy when she tried to go to the loo.....she was a pirate

I'm done with this weather, scotty beam me up!!!

how many sleeps now..I think I'm at 147

[becpee]

Originally Posted by australiankaren

oh dear...what is it with this rain..it was an inch from my back door this morning, and our creek was overflowing

my poor minnie moo , the water was up to her tummy when she tried to go to the loo.....she was a pirate

I'm done with this weather, scotty beam me up!!!

how many sleeps now..I think I'm at 147

Another glorious day here in Melbourne! But by gosh I feel like telling some people I didn't ruin their day so please don't ruin mine!
Blu-tac i'm tellin ye, a lady lost her **** over blu-tac, I reckon if the worst thing that happened in her day was us running out of blu-tac...well you get my drift She was not a pirate I have better words for her

We're at 146 sleeps i'm pretty sure, i'm already trying to plan the few days before we leave, including very little sleep the night before (for me at least, DH is cranky as on no sleep) and DS, still not sure how we're going to do that

Accom still to plan, classic procrastination

[australiankaren]

Originally Posted by becpee

Another glorious day here in Melbourne! But by gosh I feel like telling some people I didn't ruin their day so please don't ruin mine!
Blu-tac i'm tellin ye, a lady lost her **** over blu-tac, I reckon if the worst thing that happened in her day was us running out of blu-tac...well you get my drift She was not a pirate I have better words for her

We're at 146 sleeps i'm pretty sure, i'm already trying to plan the few days before we leave, including very little sleep the night before (for me at least, DH is cranky as on no sleep) and DS, still not sure how we're going to do that

Accom still to plan, classic procrastination

ahhhh...the great blu-tac emergency of 2012......although she may have needed it to plug up her canoe for the oncoming rains I definitely need a water craft just to get to my letter box....was thinking jet ski..but enough about my problems, and back to yours

re accom......you have heaps of time.....just sit back with a glass of wine and enjoy the last days of autumn

[becpee]

Originally Posted by australiankaren

ahhhh...the great blu-tac emergency of 2012......although she may have needed it to plug up her canoe for the oncoming rains I definitely need a water craft just to get to my letter box....was thinking jet ski..but enough about my problems, and back to yours

re accom......you have heaps of time.....just sit back with a glass of wine and enjoy the last days of autumn

Still raining at yours? Whats going on with that? Syphon some down, the pool is getting a bit low

What else do you have to plan?

Getting excited, can't wait for my luggage to get here!

[australiankaren]

I'm sure I'm over thinking this whole trip (as if)...now freaking about have i paid too much in car hire...although you can tell I've been on school hols too long now, I need to get back to work

and, just booked our cruise for next march, and haven't even thought about this coming cruise in sept.......first world problem I know!

I'm now a cranky pirate all sodden and forlorn ..

[becpee]

Originally Posted by australiankaren

I'm sure I'm over thinking this whole trip (as if)...now freaking about have i paid too much in car hire...although you can tell I've been on school hols too long now, I need to get back to work

and, just booked our cruise for next march, and haven't even thought about this coming cruise in sept.......first world problem I know!

I'm now a cranky pirate all sodden and forlorn ..

I'm sort of thinking i'll leave everything until later (way later LOL), I work better under pressure.
School holidays LOL back to work and dealing with the rabble.

I saw you had another cruise booked, do you have two trips going at any one time or what? LOL
Love "first world problems", such a great term LOL

Cranky pirate go get yourself a wine then you'll feel anything but sodden