EPIC isn't ONCE in a lifetime~ Final entry before GO time (4/17)!!! April 2013 PTR

[gwynne]

I found your pre-trip report! It will be fun to follow your plans for your April vacation.

 

[Mousemommy1]

I'm in! We are a value family, too but boy do I have the dream to be Epic at the Poly some day, too! I will live vicariously through you until then!

Thanks for joining me!!!! I love the values, and we would stay there again no problem! We are lucky to have been able to use the military discount for this year and next, otherwise, these experiences would not have been possible. I will wish for some pixie dust to be spread on you in the form of a great PIN you can use!

Ooh! You have. Trip coming up so close!!! 237 days until our next one. That hurts. Awwww, one month from yesterday we were arriving home from our magical stay at WL...

I found your pre-trip report! It will be fun to follow your plans for your April vacation.

Hi Gwynne!!!

Glad to have you on board! Planning is always an adventure for us RC'ers, isn't it??

 

[Mousemommy1]

I hate waiting for airfare!!!
I always feel so much better once our airfare is booked, and I know the total cost of our trip. Our travel dates are 4/20-4/28. Southwest opens up its schedule through 4/12 tomorrow, so the waiting continues, but we should be the next block coming out

 

[Alysa]

Great trip report title and you have a beautiful family!
I smiled when I saw the bit about Indiana Jones because the same thing happened to me as a kid - I hid behind the seat at the theatre for 9/10ths of Temple of Doom. My husband says we should let the kids watch it but I was worried about the melty face bit in the first one.

 

[Mousemommy1]

Great trip report title and you have a beautiful family!
I smiled when I saw the bit about Indiana Jones because the same thing happened to me as a kid - I hid behind the seat at the theatre for 9/10ths of Temple of Doom. My husband says we should let the kids watch it but I was worried about the melty face bit in the first one.

Thanks for reading along and the nice comments on my family!!!

Surprisingly, the girls LOVED Lost Ark and also watched Temple of Doom last night as well....today, they watched Last Crusade and are watching Kingdom of the Crystal Skull as we speak!! I guess they love it as much as DH and I do!

 

[Mousemommy1]

Well, we have been monitoring airfare for quite some time now....We usually fly out of MHT on SW which is only 10 minutes from our house...well, their airfare is really high right now!!!

So, we've looked at flying out of Boston...and Jet Blue's airfare is MUCH better. So much so, that we are considering adding two nights onto our trip, which will be at AoA, before we transfer over to POLY CL for the next 8 nights.

Stay tuned, getting some details ironed out...but we might get another 11-dayer!!!

 

[Mousemommy1]

Ok, so we pulled the trigger and got airfare! So now our travel dates have been extended to 4/18/13-4/28/13!!!!

The extra two nights will be the first two nights and we booked them at Port Orleans Riverside - Royal Guest Room!

The Polynesian CL portion stays the same.

I am amazed that we were able to get two extra days within the amount we budgeted for airfare, thanks to a great fare find through Jet Blue! I do have to take DD8 out of school a day and half earlier than vacation week now, but oh well!

 

[jennyjinx3]

This is great!! So exciting and now you get the best of both world by getting to try out the Royal Rooms too!! Yay!

 

[Mousemommy1]

This is great!! So exciting and now you get the best of both world by getting to try out the Royal Rooms too!! Yay!

We are pretty excited! DH and DDs want to do the fishing while at POR. I figure we'll probably do DTD and AK while at POR, since there is the boat to DTD and then we will focus on MK, Epcot, and DHS while at the Poly!! It sounds dreamy!

 

[pas130]

We are pretty excited! DH and DDs want to do the fishing while at POR. I figure we'll probably do DTD and AK while at POR, since there is the boat to DTD and then we will focus on MK, Epcot, and DHS while at the Poly!! It sounds dreamy!

Candace that's perfect!! DTD from POR...easy peasy

Had to pop in to see if you were still at Poly

 

[Mousemommy1]

Candace that's perfect!! DTD from POR...easy peasy

Had to pop in to see if you were still at Poly

C'mon!!!! Did you doubt me?? ME???

I know you feel this is a jinx, but I do feel really good about our choices here, though I was looking at the GF today...
But, we really do need the CL because our flight does not leave until 9:30 pm and we need a place to hang out on our last day when we get the boot from our room, and I don't want to pay anymore than I already am.

 

[gwynne]

Mousemommy,
That is great news that you've book airfare! It is always so nice to have that detail done.
Looking forward to reading more of your planning adventures.

 

[jennyjinx3]

 

[Mousemommy1]

Hello there!!

So, I kind of abandoned my little PTR for a bit....sorry about that if you are reading along.

Well, planning is still in full effect...and of course, because this is me...there have been some changes. When we last left off, we had added two nights because of airfare and booked those two nights at POR. Well, DH and the girls weren't quite as excited about the resort choice as I would have liked them to be. DH kept talking about the Epcot resorts and the girls didn't like the looks of the POR pool...so....obvious choice??? Split stay with an Epcot Resort!!

I decided to split the nights evenly and do 5 nights at Yacht Club, and 5 nights Poly CL - both secured with 40% military discount.

Also, now that we have extra nights, I think we will do 5 TS meals and have added Yachtsman Steakhouse into the possible rotation.

You might be wondering how I keep all of this information straight....well, I used to keep a folder with all of my information in it...but I have evolved....to a BINDER.

I have reservations, menus, airline info, travel insurance policy. Etc....all in one convenient location!!!! I love my binder.

 

[Mousemommy1]

So....DH and I were talking about the proposed ADR's and I think we have decided that we are not going to do Ohana this time, and instead put the kiddos into the Neverland Club (they really want to try that one, they liked Cubs Den) and then DH and I will go to Tutto Gusto for drinks and apps and then meander around WS...anybody have any experience with Tutto Gusto??? I know it's fairly new and they don't take ADR's....

 

[jennyjinx3]

I don't know about Tutto Gusto, but I like your plan!! My DH and I will be meandering WS too in a few days sans kiddos!! They will be making another visit to the Neverland Club too! They loved it there.

 

[Mousemommy1]

At least soon we'll be in the 100's
Pretty close to ADR day.

 

[Mousemommy1]

I was seriously pondering whether I should upgrade the YC portion of our stay to CL. It would be $540 for those 5 nights, but after much consideration, DH and I think it would be cheaper to order from Garden Grocer??

We've never done that before, but people seem pretty happy with their service. It would be so easy to just add CL, but DH reminded me that our last trip (WL CL for 10 nights) was supposed to be our "splurge" trip, and now we have another 10 night stay on our hands including 5 nights Poly CL

Garden grocer for our YC portion it is....for now...

 

[Missoutandabout]

Love that picture of your background!

I was seriously pondering whether I should upgrade the YC portion of our stay to CL. It would be $540 for those 5 nights, but after much consideration, DH and I think it would be cheaper to order from Garden Grocer??

We've never done that before, but people seem pretty happy with their service. It would be so easy to just add CL, but DH reminded me that our last trip (WL CL for 10 nights) was supposed to be our "splurge" trip, and now we have another 10 night stay on our hands including 5 nights Poly CL

Garden grocer for our YC portion it is....for now...

Hmmm. You're doing the YC portion first, right? I'd say, if you were doing it the other way around (Poly then YC) to not bother with CL at the YC. You might find it a tad underwhelming coming from the Poly. Not that I've stayed at YC-CL, but in terms of their offerings (pretty much the same as BC on all accounts), you'll probably find the Poly to be much nicer in this regard. But with this way around, I'm not sure. Though I, too, have heard some great things about Garden Grocer. I'm of absolutely no help whatsoever. LOL.

Think you could nab the CL on a discount? $540 is a LOT of groceries!

Not to dis the YC in any way, of course, since I'm a full-fledged convert to those resorts. We almost stayed at YC this for this coming trip but I couldn't bring myself to swap out the BC. Next big trip... next one. (Unless we ever get to stay at AKL, that is -- that might be a contender for the title.) Your girls are going to LOVE, LOOOOOOOOVE SAB.

 

[Mousemommy1]

Love that picture of your background!




Hmmm. You're doing the YC portion first, right? I'd say, if you were doing it the other way around (Poly then YC) to not bother with CL at the YC. You might find it a tad underwhelming coming from the Poly. Not that I've stayed at YC-CL, but in terms of their offerings (pretty much the same as BC on all accounts), you'll probably find the Poly to be much nicer in this regard. But with this way around, I'm not sure. Though I, too, have heard some great things about Garden Grocer. I'm of absolutely no help whatsoever. LOL.

Think you could nab the CL on a discount? $540 is a LOT of groceries!

Not to dis the YC in any way, of course, since I'm a full-fledged convert to those resorts. We almost stayed at YC this for this coming trip but I couldn't bring myself to swap out the BC. Next big trip... next one. (Unless we ever get to stay at AKL, that is -- that might be a contender for the title.) Your girls are going to LOVE, LOOOOOOOOVE SAB.

Yes, CL is available with the discount, and the $540 takes that into account.

I guess we'll just "spoil" ourselves for the end of the trip at Poly CL. I am super excited to stay at YC regardless!!

I always have to just remind myself of how lucky we are to be able to go on these trips and go from there!

DH is REALLY excited to stay at YC. He enjoys drinking around the world and loves the idea of just walking back to the resort afterwards.