Fall 2012=Fast moving Friends, Food, Frights, Firsts and Fun with only Females!

[chunkymonkey]

I just wanted to let you know...I've started the PTR! Excited we'll be there for the same dates and Becky as well!! Gonna get my Villains bash tickets soon too. The espn site somehow is really slow at work so have to do it at home but keep forgetting!

Hope u and Zoe are doing well!

[onescgirl]

I hope everything works out for you & Zoe!

[annmarieda]

Originally Posted by chunkymonkey

I just wanted to let you know...I've started the PTR! Excited we'll be there for the same dates and Becky as well!! Gonna get my Villains bash tickets soon too. The espn site somehow is really slow at work so have to do it at home but keep forgetting!

Hope u and Zoe are doing well!

I of course am popping over to your PTR! I am excited you will be there at both WDW and the villians bash!!! What fun!!!

Originally Posted by onescgirl

I hope everything works out for you & Zoe!

Thanks so much!!

[annmarieda]

I know I have totally neglected this PTR. I think I am ready to really dive in (maybe) so look out!

I had to go back and read my own plans. The good news is I only have gotten as far as day one. The bad news?? Well apparently I don't know my own dates.

I had been thinking all along that we were flying out on a wednesday. Day one on 9/24 would then be a tuesday. It isn't. This kinda throws things for me a bit. Work will be a bit of a challenge. However, in talking with my boss about the time that the PHM is (it is during a busy work weekend) she was super supportive and said we would work things out. She is happy I am getting active. I suspect that I will just have to work something out with her when it comes to 9/25.

So back to "day one" I will note it in the day's plans, but I think Kira and I have decided not to go to a hotel that day. Even though it was really nice to stay close to the airport and use the hotels shuttle to the airport a few weeks ago... I don't think we really got any better sleep AND we paid for the extra night. Course, I did get the gift card for pizza and we did basically have a free dinner at the "managers reception" so that helped to cut the cost of the night's stay. I don't know... any opinions? We will have to leave our house at about 3am. If we stay in the hotel, we will have to catch a shuttle at about 3:45. yeah... that extra 45 minutes probably isn't worth it. I bet we can even make it so we can sleep a bit later by loading the car the night before.

Ok...so lets break it down. (yes, I am running the numbers as I go right now)

Stay at home(assuming 45 minutes getting ready and 1 hour travel time):

1. Load car the night before with checked bags.
2. Zoe and I will need to wake by 2:00am
3. Amanda and Kira will need to wake by 2:15
4. I will leave the house by 2:45 to go pick up the girls (and Josh since he will be taking my car back)
5. Leave our town by 3am to arrive at the hotel by 4am

Stay at hotel (assuming 45 minute getting ready and 15 minute travel time):

1. Keep checked bags packed and only use carry on for the night
2. We all wake by 3am.
3. We catch shuttle by 3:45am
4. We arrive airport by 4am.

I guess it boils down to a couple things... the convenience of being so close to the airport (ie... no need to drive to get Kira and then load up my truck) and also that extra hour of sleep.

I would love to hear opinions....

[dizneeat]

I guess I won't be much help, but in that case I would stay home. 45 minutes of sleep is not worth it for ME!! to go to a hotel and live out of my suitcase.

Is it a direct flight or do you have a stopover? If it is direct I would try to sleep a little on the plane. Can Zoe sleep while flying? I hope so.

Okay, as I said before ...... no big help, but I guess you will have many more opinions pretty soon.

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

For just 45 minutes, I think I'd skip the hotel! Seems like you could get a comparable amount of sleep at home.

[KatMark]

I'd just sleep at home and skip the hotel.

[amandaw]

I think I have to agree with the others & say that I would stay home, skip the hotel.

[annmarieda]

Originally Posted by dizneeat

I guess I won't be much help, but in that case I would stay home. 45 minutes of sleep is not worth it for ME!! to go to a hotel and live out of my suitcase.

Is it a direct flight or do you have a stopover? If it is direct I would try to sleep a little on the plane. Can Zoe sleep while flying? I hope so.

Okay, as I said before ...... no big help, but I guess you will have many more opinions pretty soon.

Zoe can sleep on a plane..and I can a bit too.

Originally Posted by Stringbean&Wingnut

For just 45 minutes, I think I'd skip the hotel! Seems like you could get a comparable amount of sleep at home.

In some ways I think more

Originally Posted by KatMark

I'd just sleep at home and skip the hotel.

I think that is wise

Originally Posted by amandaw

I think I have to agree with the others & say that I would stay home, skip the hotel.

Staying at home I think wins!!!

So, I think we will be
staying the night home and not going to a hotel. This is only complicated by the fact that kira and Josh an offer on a house that is not in the same town we live. I am sure we can work it out though... I hope they get the house... It is so pretty... so HUGE (like about 3000 sq ft)

[Woth2982]

Originally Posted by annmarieda

Z
So, I think we will be
staying the night home and not going to a hotel. This is only complicated by the fact that kira and Josh an offer on a house that is not in the same town we live. I am sure we can work it out though... I hope they get the house... It is so pretty... so HUGE (like about 3000 sq ft)

Much better choice! Now you have extra money to spend in Disney!

Good luck to Kira and Josh on the house! I wish I could afford a 3000 sq ft house. Here that would cost a good $750K. I am actually looking at condos tonight. I just paid off my student loans so now is the time to buy I think.

[annmarieda]

Originally Posted by Woth2982

Much better choice! Now you have extra money to spend in Disney!

Good luck to Kira and Josh on the house! I wish I could afford a 3000 sq ft house. Here that would cost a good $750K. I am actually looking at condos tonight. I just paid off my student loans so now is the time to buy I think.

Exactly, more money for Disney

As for the house... well, yes... the amount they offered is no where near $750k. It is in a town hit hard by the housing crash...lots of new homes went up...lots of homes went into foreclosure...lots of homes sit empty. Luckily, this one was only about to go into foreclosure when an investment co. came in a bought up a bunch in that neighborhood. So it will be a regular sale... not a short or a foreclosure. It isn't in the same town that I live (they would not be able to find a home here like that) Even my neighborhood that had quite a few foreclosures has recovered and has no vacant homes... so prices are higher here (still not $750k high ). They both will have a bit of a commute, but not a bad one. We should know today if their offer was accepted.

[annmarieda]

For those who have read my PTRs in the past... you know you have been waiting for this post. The post that has me whine and complain and share and basically over think my air fare strategy.

So Zoe and I have our flight to MCO. - paid with points

Kira and Amanda just recently bought their rt flight. Their flight to MCO is on the same airline, but not the same time. It is flies out about a half an hour after ours and then arrives an hour after ours. I figure even if no one changes... that extra hour will be perfect because it will give Zoe and I a chance to go to the restroom in order to take care of her medical stuff (that will be just too hard to do on the plane) I suppose I could change my flight to the later one (it is cheaper now and that is why Kira booked that one) I am not sure how that would work since I booked on points... do I just get some of the points refunded? There is also the matter of the restroom and getting in an hour later would mean we would be held up at the airport a bit longer and probably get to the hotel much later than any of us want.

Then their flight back is on the 5th of October. yes... a day after check out. Now, remember... at one point I had added the night of the 4th.. then Kira didn't want to add an extra night to the cost so I took it off? Well, now unless I upgrade the entire stay to a river view room... the night of the 4th is not available. This will mean I need to do a split..and just check in for one night somewhere... UNLESS I can get one night at POFQ added on. (that bump to river view adds about $450 onto our package)

So that brings me to booking my return. Obviously... gonna book the return on the 5th and the same flight as the girls. The price has held since they booked. I have been waiting for..... .POINTS. See, Zach bought a car...and I used my card to buy it (large purchase.. use card to pay.. pay card with cash... get points for flight) ANY DAY those points should hit my account. In fact i was surprised they didn't hit today. We are looking at about another 3k hitting my account. Wanna know how many I need to book the return flight for myself or Zoe? I just need 21 points!!!!! YES, not 2100. NOT, 210. TWENTY ONE!!!! If only the flight went down a bit, I think I could book... but with knowing that those points will be there soon... I have been risking the flight going up. Since I am taking today off though, I will be booking a return flight for one of us and paying the cash price for it. (just have to think...if I pay cash for mine...then I would get points added to my rapid rewards account for the purchase. Zoe doesn't have a rr account so wouldn't get the points... so I should book hers on the points once I get them..there decided... I will book MY flight today and wait on Zoe's )

Hopefully, my air fare ramblings have been worth waiting for. I will post more... I am sure. I think I dream about booking flights.. or rather how to finagle a good deal on them.

Originally, I had planned to buy 2 one ways on points. Use a credit both Zoe and I had to then buy the return (plus some cash since the credit would not be enough) I had hoped flights would be about what they were last year (they are not)

Originally, I budgeted/planned a total oop for Zoe and I to fly rt of $160. I was bummed when we lost our credits (who knew it was not a year from the issue of the credit to purchase, but a year to actually fly0

Now, it looks like I will just be paying oop for one, one way... at a cost of.......


$160



That is as long as the flight doesn't go up between now and when I book

[amandaw]

WOW! You know how to work out some deals with air fare! I need you to help me. That's awesome that you only have to pay one OOP & it's only $160! Even though we're driving, I've been watching air fare, just cuz. Anyway, it would cost us $985 for the 3 of us. I really hate air fare.

[annmarieda]

So I booked my flight... came to just under $160. Then... just now I checked to see if my 3k I was expecting hit my account. Guess what? almost 9k hit?!?!

I could have booked mine with points too!!!! Oh well... good to save for February

And...now Zoe is booked. Something new happened with booking her... I had to confirm my itinerary since she is a minor..and agree I am traveling with her (duh). I have enough points to book another one way... I think I might book for february..

Right now though I am off to lunch with a friend...

[gellybean]

I'm late I'm late but I found you! YAY! Going back now to read!! Can't wait to see if our plans overlap any!