Frozen.... in the NorthEast - August 2014

[DMGeurts]

Oh Ann... I can so relate... We purchased our house in 2006... Right before the housing market fell out from under everyone... We are in the exact same boat, and our house will NEVER be worth what we paid for it... Even considering the work we've already done. We also want to put an addition on our house, but we keep dragging our feet... Sadly - even with a new addition, I am not sure it will increase the value enough to make it worth our while. But then the other side of me says... Well, it would make us comfortable - we might as well resign ourselves to the fact we will live here forever... But it's so hard to bite the bullet, and it's a lot of $$ to invest in something you are not sure will ever pay off.

Also... I've been a SAHM for most of the girls' lives... Financially - it's always been a struggle, especially when they were younger. But by the time we paid for daycare - it was a losing situation. To be quite honest, it's been a very rewarding thing - and if it's something you can manage, I would recommend it. I've loved watching my girls grow. It was always my intention to go back to work full-time once they were old enough to be home alone, but right around that time, I started my business - which has been a blessing in disguise in so many ways. It's allowed me to continue to work - but to be home with them... And what I never realized until now, is that teens need their parents too - it's been very good for our relationship for me to continue to be home for them, even now. Just food for thought. I am sure you will be able to come to some sort of happy medium that works for your family.

And I think our trips may overlap? Have we decided to plan a Dismeet?

I've decided to avoid the Frozen stuff like the plague... We didn't really enjoy the movie all that much - and we are so sick of hearing about it... I think we will use those crowds to our advantage and zig while they zag.

I can't believe our trips are getting so close!

D~

 

[DisMom1981]

Oh Ann... I can so relate... We purchased our house in 2006... Right before the housing market fell out from under everyone... We are in the exact same boat, and our house will NEVER be worth what we paid for it... Even considering the work we've already done. We also want to put an addition on our house, but we keep dragging our feet... Sadly - even with a new addition, I am not sure it will increase the value enough to make it worth our while. But then the other side of me says... Well, it would make us comfortable - we might as well resign ourselves to the fact we will live here forever... But it's so hard to bite the bullet, and it's a lot of $$ to invest in something you are not sure will ever pay off. Also... I've been a SAHM for most of the girls' lives... Financially - it's always been a struggle, especially when they were younger. But by the time we paid for daycare - it was a losing situation. To be quite honest, it's been a very rewarding thing - and if it's something you can manage, I would recommend it. I've loved watching my girls grow. It was always my intention to go back to work full-time once they were old enough to be home alone, but right around that time, I started my business - which has been a blessing in disguise in so many ways. It's allowed me to continue to work - but to be home with them... And what I never realized until now, is that teens need their parents too - it's been very good for our relationship for me to continue to be home for them, even now. Just food for thought. I am sure you will be able to come to some sort of happy medium that works for your family. And I think our trips may overlap? Have we decided to plan a Dismeet? I've decided to avoid the Frozen stuff like the plague... We didn't really enjoy the movie all that much - and we are so sick of hearing about it... I think we will use those crowds to our advantage and zig while they zag. I can't believe our trips are getting so close! D~

:Hug: Thanks! I know there are so many others in our boat and far worse. I so admire that you have a passion and talent and found a way to work for you to be able to stay home- it is inspirational. I'm just kind of Tinkerbelle trying to find the talent that can do that for me lol.

We should definitely try to arrange a DisMeet- we overlap but for a couple days only and not in the same place? Although our last day we have nothing planned for afternoon/evening since we will be taking it easy to get on the road really early. Nokia we will have our car so that helps!

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[DisMom1981]

TJ has been enjoying t-ball camp this week. It is a pre-k camp that goes M-F for 2.5 hours in the am for ages 3-5 run by the town rec department. Last year he went and gave me such a hard time every day.....I believe he gave the staff a hard time as well. It was rough. I signed Aly up this year too, but had to withdraw her because she is not potty trained yet Anyway, once TJ found out Aly wasn't going he gave me grief all last weekend about it. He wasn't going. He wasn't going to be nice to anyone. He wasn't going to listen to the teachers. He was going to run away. Yadda. Yadda. Yadda. Turns out, with some encouragement followed by some threats to take toys away (parent fail, I know), I got him to go on Monday and he has LOVED it. Each morning there is a little hesitance, but I think that is his routine and he goes in easier and easier each day and the growth is just amazing!

Turns out, it was good that Aly had to be withdrawn as we got a refund and guess what? Monday night was a puke fest as was all day yesterday. The poor child was so sick that Tom took her to the hospital last night. Luckily, it is just a virus and the puke has stopped, but she has been attached to the couch all day. My poor baby! Of course I can't help but think- thank God now and not at Disney!!!

So how does the Disney Resort Saga of 2014 continue??? I had mentioned a few posts back that my parents mentioned possibly upgrading to a moderate resort for the week. It would have cost us about $430 and them $500 (they have a third adult, my sister, in their room). I was so excited- we LOVED Pop, but my dream is to try many different resorts, so two consecutive trips at the same resort kind of shoots that down. I made the calls. I gathered the info. There was availability. And my parents backed out.

I've since become obsessed with getting into Disney a day earlier now, since my parents/sister are flying and we are driving we have this flexibility and don't have to worry about them. A night at the Beach Club will cost $440. So expensive. A price I would never DREAM of paying for a room. For one night! However, my justification is, we were going to spend that to upgrade from Pop for the week if my parents had been on board. Sure this is one night, as opposed to 8 nights, but it is deluxe.......and it is pretty much the same money. Right?

Also important to note......we will be staying about an hour away from WDW the night before so we can get in fairly early and truly enjoy the entire day at the resort and pools. The next day we are just checking into POP with no plans that day so we can try for a late check out and enjoy that morning at the resort too, before heading over to POP. Of course, I worry that there will be a hurricane or something and then it won't matter at all- that would really stink!

Then I saw that we could stay in a Savannah room at AKL for the price of the Beach Club. I've been googling images of the pool at AKL and it is just not the same, though I think we would have a lot of fun either way. Plus, we are not interested in the Indian food or African food that AKL offers.

The final option is Caribbean Beach. This would cost far, far less for the night. When looking at mods to stay in I ruled this one out because they do not offer the queen beds and I knew my parents would want queen beds if paying more money. But by far, this mod has the best pool for my little guys (5 and 3). They will LOVE that pirate ship water play area! I might even splurge for a pirate room if it is available.......or just a preferred pool room since I think I read that the pirate rooms are far away from the pool. Although we would save the money here, my thought is, the next time we travel to Disney, it is more likely I will book moderate since I am so disappointed this time that I did not do it. Most likely I will NEVER book an entire vacation deluxe so maybe a night at Beach Club is justifiable?

I am so indecisive! I go back and forth! What would you do?

 

[TheMaxRebo]

fell behind a bit but wanted to chime in.

We decided to have my wife stay at home with the kids as day care would have cost more than she was making (especially once we were up to 2) and just didn't feel worth it. She did pick up the odd job here and there bu nothing major. So far it has worked out but there are times having a 2nd income would be nice but is what it is

As far as resorts go - that is always such a hard debate ... how do you define value for what you are spending, etc. I think one extra night seems like a good idea since more Disney is always a good thing. Plus then you are there and hopefully cna hit the ground running even more the next days. But totally understand about $440 sounding like a lot for one day. If you were going to go Deluxe and enjoy pool time, etc. I think Beach Club makes a ton of sense. Did you look into any discounts - or is that the post-discount price? Through the Disney Visa you can save quite a bit at certain times if you do room only - which is what you would need for the extra night. Through that we were able to move to The Contemporary for our next trip. I mean, don't get me wrong, it isn't cheap but the total was actually less than I was expecting. And there is no annual fee on the Disney Visa if you don't already have one. Just a thought

 

[DisMom1981]

fell behind a bit but wanted to chime in.

We decided to have my wife stay at home with the kids as day care would have cost more than she was making (especially once we were up to 2) and just didn't feel worth it. She did pick up the odd job here and there bu nothing major. So far it has worked out but there are times having a 2nd income would be nice but is what it is

As far as resorts go - that is always such a hard debate ... how do you define value for what you are spending, etc. I think one extra night seems like a good idea since more Disney is always a good thing. Plus then you are there and hopefully cna hit the ground running even more the next days. But totally understand about $440 sounding like a lot for one day. If you were going to go Deluxe and enjoy pool time, etc. I think Beach Club makes a ton of sense. Did you look into any discounts - or is that the post-discount price? Through the Disney Visa you can save quite a bit at certain times if you do room only - which is what you would need for the extra night. Through that we were able to move to The Contemporary for our next trip. I mean, don't get me wrong, it isn't cheap but the total was actually less than I was expecting. And there is no annual fee on the Disney Visa if you don't already have one. Just a thought

Thanks! I have thought about Disney Visa, but Tom does not want to right now because we want to get approved for a loan to build an addition onto our house. If we got the $200 sign on bonus from Disney Visa, that would make it more of a no brainer!

Unfortunately, the window for the discounts that were available when we booked has closed and the new window of discounts does not start until August 16. There is zero availability at Beach Club (and all other resorts) left from the window from when we booked. There are no standard rooms left, so that is a non-discounted, tax included, garden room rate for Beach Club.

I am going to be buying Disney giftcards off of a friend who had to cancel a trip for $23 for every $25 increment......so that will save a tiny bit, but nothing major.

It will be interesting to see what happens- the giftcard friend returns from a camping trip this Saturday, so I will want to have a decision by then so I can buy the cards and book something!

 

[DisMom1981]

I canceled the Frozen Premium Package. I am confident that we will still enjoy as much of Frozen activities as we would have enjoyed with the package. Now I don't have to stress myself out - if the kids cooperate and we see the entire parade- great! If they make it to the fireworks- awesome! Glad the debate is over and a decision made.

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[digiMom]

Just stopping by to say "hi!"

 

[DisMom1981]

Just stopping by to say "hi!"

So sweet! Hi back!

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[DisMom1981]

I just booked a before the park opens breakfast ADR at Akershus for me, DD and my sister! DD is going to be so excited! Plus, now I don't have to stress about being in Germany/France during the small window of time to wAit in line for Snow White and Aurora. I also will have to choose a meal to pay OOP now. Here are the meals:

Dinner
Ohana
Be Our Guest
San Angel Inn
Garden Grill
Hoop Dee

Lunch
Sci Fi ( I'm guessing this is the one)

Breakfast
Chef Mickey
Akershus

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[DMGeurts]

Yay!! Congrats!

When we had to do a meal OOP last year, it ended up being Sci-Fi... Not saying that's always the case, but looking at your list - I am pretty sure it will be too.

D~

 

[Pikester]

Lunch would certainly be a less expensive meal to pay OOP.

 

[DisMom1981]

1:50 AM and on the road- a little later than I wanted but I made Tom turn around the end of our street and go back for blankets which in glad we did. Hoping to make it to Savannah. I wasn't home yesterday. The kids and I attended a cousins party in NY. In a nervous wreck that we forgot something. I feel like the mom in Home Alone but I can verify both kids are in the car
Hate this feeling!

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[Pikester]

1:50 AM and on the road- a little later than I wanted but I made Tom turn around the end of our street and go back for blankets which in glad we did. Hoping to make it to Savannah. I wasn't home yesterday. The kids and I attended a cousins party in NY. In a nervous wreck that we forgot something. I feel like the mom in Home Alone but I can verify both kids are in the car Hate this feeling! Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

Have a safe trip! I think everyone has those feelings of forgetting something. Just keep telling yourself that there are stores in Orlando if you need to buy something.

 

[DMGeurts]

Have a safe and fabulous trip Ann!!! Cannot wait to hear all about it!

D~

 

[DisMom1981]

Hard to believe, but it is time to share my trip report link.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3324325

I hope you will join me as I try to relive the magic!