November 2012 Trip planners #4~almost Disney time! Everyone welcome!

[KatWI]

Originally Posted by disneychic2

Your schedule sounds really good for the most part, but I was wondering about the day you have scheduled 50's Prime Time and Sci Fi so close together. Say you get seated right at your 12:15 time (not likely, but could happen). Then it takes close to 1 1/2 hours to order and eat. You'll get out at around 1:45. Then it's just a short time until eating again. Just wondering.

Yes, you have a good point about the timing. It was the only ADR I could get to fit with our schedule for the day. This park was one of the toughest to schedule because of the shows! I really want the kids to experience Sci-Fi so I thought we could just get snacks or a drink if nobody is really hungry. We're also planning to see Fantasmic so I was thinking about picking up food from a Counter Service to eat while we wait for it to start if the kids are hungrier around that time.

I did have a question...there is an ADR at Sci-Fi at 7:50 pm and one at 50's Prime Time at 8:10 pm - but the park closes at 8:00 pm...so how does that work?

[squirrel4569]

Originally Posted by princesshope1982

Morning all

good to see im not the only one freaking out..fortunately its not over the money portion, i have been penny pinching for a whole year and seeing our balance after we paid off the trip really made me happy. What i am freaking out about is that the school told me today if she misses more than 5 days we could be subjest to a penalty!!!! Has anyone had this issue?

I had this concern last year when DD1 started kindergarten. The letter the school sent home about truancy and all of that was fairly harsh reading. That being said we had an opportunity to take a vacation for next to nothing but we would've had to take her out of school to do it. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity and we decided to do it. Our district has a form to fill out and while it states that it's an unexcused absence, they didn't send the truancy department after us.

More recently I've talked with other parents in our district and they said that unless it's a testing year/time then they are pretty lenient about it. Our original plan was to go for DD2's birthday this year, which is 11/11, but as that is the week before Thanksgiving and our district is out the entire week of Thanksgiving I couldn't really justify taking DD1 out of school for a week just before they would be out for a week. So DD2's birthday is on Sunday and we'll leave that following Friday after DD1 gets out of school.

Re: paying off the trip, I feel rather fortunate that we essentially had the money when we booked the trip so we paid it off immediately. When we extended the trip by a day we only had to pay an extra $89 so that was simple enough for us to pay off as well. Our spending money has been in savings and the Disney Rewards dollars also help. We're basing some of our spending/saving on our last trip where we didn't really have a plan or a budget. The only remaining thing for us is taking the dog to the vet for a checkup and shots before she's boarded. They'll do it while she's boarded but that adds another chunk onto the bill when we pick her up, so we're trying to spread it out some.

Booking ADR's prepped me for this morning's adventures. I was up at 2am local time to get new iPhones for my wife and I. Right at 2:01am I was on att.com, apple.com, etc trying to get my order. Turned out to be a good thing I was up because they sold out in an hour!

I was thinking about the tips for housekeeping and personally I don't tip, but that's largely because I don't have housekeeping come everyday. Having been a former business traveler I was ripped off more than once of belongings and now the Do Not Disturb sign hangs on the door daily. I'll call or visit the front desk for more towels, pillows or toiletries to ensure that someone isn't in my room when I'm not there. Our last trip my mom's room got cleaned on her last day while we were at the park and she nearly missed ME and her flight trying to hunt down what they did with her bag. The thing about that was that the front desk told her she could keep her bag in the room until she was ready to leave that day, as it was a very slow time of the year. Probably just a miscommunication/misunderstanding, but a hassle nonetheless. The only time I'll have housekeeping come is if I'm going to be somewhere longer than a week, then on the day I want them to come I'll take all of my things out of the room while they do their work.

I told my wife about the dining invites idea and she's liking that idea. We may add that to our daily gifts as well. The gift idea is that we'll get some cheap stuff from the dollar stores prior to coming and leave them for the girls in the room (I'm not sure how yet) and that will entice them to a) behave better, b) not beg for EVERYTHING they see and 3) be a fun and exciting thing to enhance their experience. We'll also be stocking up on glow bracelets/necklaces for the nighttime events so they'll have glow things that aren't a hundred bucks each.

My only other thing that is kind of on my mind is footwear. Knowing that we'll be walking a ton I'm debating on wearing my shape-ups, which did well for the March of Dimes walk, Las Vegas, Europe, etc or something a bit more airy and water resistant like Teva or Merrell sandals. Going to have to do some shopping and see prices and comfort.

Hope everyone has a great Friday! We're going to DISNEY!

[KatWI]

Originally Posted by princesshope1982

Morning all

good to see im not the only one freaking out..fortunately its not over the money portion, i have been penny pinching for a whole year and seeing our balance after we paid off the trip really made me happy. What i am freaking out about is that the school told me today if she misses more than 5 days we could be subjest to a penalty!!!! Has anyone had this issue?

Sorry...hope it works out. My DD17 goes to an online virtual school so this is one thing we don't have to worry about.

I better make sure my sister talks to her kid's teachers though!

[KatWI]

Originally Posted by squirrel4569

We'll also be stocking up on glow bracelets/necklaces for the nighttime events so they'll have glow things that aren't a hundred bucks each.

Another AWESOME idea...that I had never even considered! THANKS!

[KatWI]

I was on Epcot's website and saw this:

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure
Closed For Refurbishment [Monday, September 10 - Friday, September 14]

I could have sworn it also was going to be closed in November while we were there...but now those Nov closing dates are gone! Does that mean it may be open?

That would be so great as I really wanted the kids to experience this playground!

[Santa]

Just cancelled Akershus Royal Banquet Hall,
Friday 11/30/2012,
8:25AM
Party of 10.

[AquaDame]

Originally Posted by squirrel4569

Booking ADR's prepped me for this morning's adventures. I was up at 2am local time to get new iPhones for my wife and I. Right at 2:01am I was on att.com, apple.com, etc trying to get my order. Turned out to be a good thing I was up because they sold out in an hour!

Wow! I was up and put in my order as well (online store wasn't working so I used the store app on my phone) and went to bed (32GB Black woop! I wanted white but if I dont like it my husband might trade me for his 4S and he wouldn't like white I dont think) how do you know how fast they "sold out"? 2 weeks to ship still isn't that bad.

[squirrel4569]

Originally Posted by AquaDame

Wow! I was up and put in my order as well (online store wasn't working so I used the store app on my phone) and went to bed (32GB Black woop! I wanted white but if I dont like it my husband might trade me for his 4S and he wouldn't like white I dont think) how do you know how fast they "sold out"? 2 weeks to ship still isn't that bad.

Saw an article on techcrunch that said the first shipments through Apple sold out in 60 minutes. Those were the ones that would ship on 9/21. Some folks are saying they are still available from other sources, but I've got our iPhone 4 phones ready to sell and they need to get shipped out to the buyers so we need to get the new phone faster. 2 weeks isn't bad but it would make our deadline tight.

[AquaDame]

Originally Posted by squirrel4569

Saw an article on techcrunch that said the first shipments through Apple sold out in 60 minutes. Those were the ones that would ship on 9/21. Some folks are saying they are still available from other sources, but I've got our iPhone 4 phones ready to sell and they need to get shipped out to the buyers so we need to get the new phone faster. 2 weeks isn't bad but it would make our deadline tight.

I was thinking just of going through Gazelle for that - were you able to get a much better price by finding actual buyers do you think? My quote was $134 which is low, but less hassles, hmm....

[squirrel4569]

Originally Posted by AquaDame

I was thinking just of going through Gazelle for that - were you able to get a much better price by finding actual buyers do you think? My quote was $134 which is low, but less hassles, hmm....

We went through Gazelle and they offered us $165/each for our iPhone 4 through AT&T. We locked in the price a couple of weeks ago though.

[squirrel4569]

Originally Posted by squirrel4569

We went through Gazelle and they offered us $165/each for our iPhone 4 through AT&T. We locked in the price a couple of weeks ago though.

Also, sorry for jacking the thread to talk about iPhones.

I'll bring it back to Disney with a segue. One of the cool new features of the new phone is the panoramic photo feature. Click on the button and turn and the phone scans the area up to 240 degrees and creates a stitched photo. That will present some cool shots at the parks! I'm thinking about the Tea Cup ride! How neat would that be?

[TruBlu]

Originally Posted by squirrel4569

Also, sorry for jacking the thread to talk about iPhones.

I'll bring it back to Disney with a segue. One of the cool new features of the new phone is the panoramic photo feature. Click on the button and turn and the phone scans the area up to 240 degrees and creates a stitched photo. That will present some cool shots at the parks! I'm thinking about the Tea Cup ride! How neat would that be?

Or the Osborne Lights!!!!!

Sent from Tracey's iPhone using DISBoards

[Tulles]

I have no idea what our school's truancy policy is. I already let the teachers know that the kids would be missing 6 days of school for Disney and the only comments I got were "Can I come along?".

As for paying off the trip MIL is taking us all for our Christmas present this year so we just have a few minor things to pay. I already paid the stroller rental and photo pass so just need to pay for the car rental while we're there (getting one for 3 days) and save up our spending money.

Speaking of which I got our Photopass+ package yesterday! It has a CD case though that's sealed and I'm not sure what to do with it. Anyone know? It has a receipt that I have to take with us and get it redeemed in park for the actual pass but the CD case thing has me confused.

Also received my DD's Canada shirt yesterday that I got free from my Pampers points. We're all going to wear something Canadian on our Epcot day.

Super sucks for any of your getting hospital bills. Makes me really appreciate our free health care here in Canada. Especially with our DD who has already had 2 heart surgeries.

[aubreysmom09]

I have a question when I cancelled yesterday I wasn't given a cancellation number, and I haven't gotten an email from Disney saying I cancelled. Is this normal? I figure it will take a few days to get back on my card. Just find it odd I didn't get an email.

[uscgmouse]

Originally Posted by squirrel4569

The gift idea is that we'll get some cheap stuff from the dollar stores prior to coming and leave them for the girls in the room (I'm not sure how yet) and that will entice them to a) behave better, b) not beg for EVERYTHING they see and 3) be a fun and exciting thing to enhance their experience. We'll also be stocking up on glow bracelets/necklaces for the nighttime events so they'll have glow things that aren't a hundred bucks each.


Hope everyone has a great Friday! We're going to DISNEY!

I have seen a thread here on DIS that has funny money. You can print it out and it looks like Disney monolopy money. Maybe you could use that to keep the girls on track.
Like each day start with an amount and add for good behavior and deduct for bad bahavior.

Good idea on the $ store items. I have been collecting too. I cannot even think about paying $$ for a piece of glow in the dark junk when I can get it for a $ here at home.