****Official August 2015 Check-In Thread****

[Aladora]

Stressing out a little here because we leave on Friday and our RV's fridge is not working unless we are plugged in somewhere. We've had it in for repair for over a month but it keeps getting put on the back burner because they are doing the repair in trade for some work my husband did on the dealership's lighting/electrical. We told them we needed it ready to go by 8/6 and they haven't even looked at it yet. To make it worse, their service manager won't even talk to us now. Hubby was on the phone with the owner of the dealership last night. Told him if they can't guarantee it would be fixed then they need to cut us a check for the money they owe us so we can go purchase a good cooler that will keep our food until we get to Anaheim. I'm so ticked off, we had plenty of time to get it repaired somewhere else if they couldn't do it but they kept promising they'd get to it. I hope to have an answer on what they're going to do for us sometime this morning.

Other than that, I've made really good progress on my to do list and my girls have been great about getting the house in somewhat decent shape so it's not a mess when we return. Tomorrow, the girls get their packing lists so they can work on them and the last loads of laundry will go in and we'll pre-cook some food for quick meals. Of course that depends on if we have a fridge or cooler to put it in! Otherwise, there will be a lot more eating out to budget for.

Ugh, ugh, ugh! How frustrating that has to be! I would not bother calling anymore but instead just show up at the dealership and talk to someone face to face. I don't know anything about RVs but can you take the fridge out and put another one in? If so, maybe get a loaner from the dealership to use and they can fix yours while you are gone?

Nine days until we leave and I have so much to do in terms of packing and such! My in laws are here this week, though, and I'll be playing tour guide all weekend. Which is fun, and I enjoy it, but I'm not sure when to get my stuff done as they leave next Monday, and we drive down on Friday.

Is anyone doing anything but Disney?

I just booked our tickets to the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit and movie at the California Science Center. It also includes seeing the Challenger. I'm excited! It looks really cool, and I think my girls will love it. My oldest loves anything space related.

The science centre sounds like SO much fun, I wish I had known about it when I was planning! We arrive in BUR mid afternoon but the centre is only open until 5:00 so not really worth it to try and rush there from the airport.

We are staying at the Hilton Universal City on Saturday night then hitting Universal Studios on Sunday. I've arranged for a car and driver to pick us up at the hotel in the afternoon and from there we will hit a Target on the way to get bottled water (and some makeup that I can't get in Canada!) and then on to Anaheim.

 

[PlutoJenn]

I finally bit the bullet and we are doing a split stay Park Vue and Paradise Pier this trip! Not quite what I wanted but DH is taking a sailing course in September so we had to compromise.

I also found that if we spent $10 more per night we could move from the Desert Inn to Park Vue Inn and enjoy their much better breakfast.

Park Vue's breakfast was part of our reasoning for staying there. Hope you enjoy your stay at PV. Well, both places.

Is anyone doing anything but Disney?

I just booked our tickets to the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit and movie at the California Science Center. It also includes seeing the Challenger. I'm excited! It looks really cool, and I think my girls will love it. My oldest loves anything space related.

We're going to the CSC (on the 12th) but only to see the Challenger and their permanent exhibits. We're also taking a tour of Jet Propulsion Labs and also doing a hop-on/hop-off bus tour of LA. That's it for SoCal, and then a few days up the coast to Big Sur and then San Francisco.

Have a great vacation!

 

[jewdmeister]

I'm officially a week away from flying out to California which means I'll be in Disneyland around this time in eight short days!

Listening to everyone else getting ready or already enjoying themselves in the parks is really making me antsy. I'm mostly packed for my trip minus a few odds and ends...I keep worrying that I'm going to forget something. I tend to make a few checklists while packing for any trip and without fail, I'll be lying in bed and remember something else! Is anyone else guilty of the same silliness?

I'm really hoping the new app will be a big help to visitors in the next week, just so I can get some real feedback. It looks pretty good so far, fingers crossed.

 

[tiffjoy]

We are staying at the Hilton Universal City on Saturday night then hitting Universal Studios on Sunday. I've arranged for a car and driver to pick us up at the hotel in the afternoon and from there we will hit a Target on the way to get bottled water (and some makeup that I can't get in Canada!) and then on to Anaheim.

We haven't been to Universal yet. Maybe next year after our APs expire and they have the HP area open. Have fun!!!

Gotta love Target! lol

We're going to the CSC (on the 12th) but only to see the Challenger and their permanent exhibits. We're also taking a tour of Jet Propulsion Labs and also doing a hop-on/hop-off bus tour of LA. That's it for SoCal, and then a few days up the coast to Big Sur and then San Francisco.

We are spending the day at CSC, so we'll get to see the permanent exhibits, too. It looks like a really cool place. If you have any SF questions, let me know because I live in the Bay Area. Have fun!

We will also fit a beach visit in somewhere, too. Thinking Laguna.

 

[Aladora]

I'm officially a week away from flying out to California which means I'll be in Disneyland around this time in eight short days!

Listening to everyone else getting ready or already enjoying themselves in the parks is really making me antsy. I'm mostly packed for my trip minus a few odds and ends...I keep worrying that I'm going to forget something. I tend to make a few checklists while packing for any trip and without fail, I'll be lying in bed and remember something else! Is anyone else guilty of the same silliness?

I'm really hoping the new app will be a big help to visitors in the next week, just so I can get some real feedback. It looks pretty good so far, fingers crossed.

I always get a little wiggy for the 24 hours before we leave, it's just something I do! I also pack and repack at least twice, mostly to cut down on how much I'm packing since I ALWAYS overpack.

It might help for you to keep a pen and notepad beside your bed so that you can jot down things as you think of them.

I downloaded the app to my phone and I have to admit that I keep checking it to spy on wait times during the day!

 

[jewdmeister]

I downloaded the app to my phone and I have to admit that I keep checking it to spy on wait times during the day!

Oh, I'm guilty of the same thing! I was just on there checking out the wait times myself

 

[PlutoJenn]

We are spending the day at CSC, so we'll get to see the permanent exhibits, too. It looks like a really cool place. If you have any SF questions, let me know because I live in the Bay Area. Have fun!

How's your weather right now? I know it's a subjective thought, but coming from approximately 100 degree highs, will we feel really cold?

 

[PlutoJenn]

I downloaded the app to my phone and I have to admit that I keep checking it to spy on wait times during the day!

Oh, I'm guilty of the same thing! I was just on there checking out the wait times myself

Holy moly! Last night I saw a two hour wait time for RSR!

 

[Aladora]

Holy moly! Last night I saw a two hour wait time for RSR!

I saw that as well but that's not the worst stand by time for RSR that I've seen.

 

[tiffjoy]

How's your weather right now? I know it's a subjective thought, but coming from approximately 100 degree highs, will we feel really cold?

Yes.

I think it has been really pleasant, but I don't like high heat, and of course, I'm not used to it anymore. The city has been in the low 70s during the day, and it gets cooler at night. We always have pants with us and a sweatshirt for the evenings. I have taken winter coats in with us during August! The thing about the city is it really depends on where you are- the coast by the ocean is often cool and windy, up through Golden Gate Park. Union Square is typically more protected from the winds and is a little warmer. Fisherman's Wharf is usually warmer than Ocean Beach side, but still cool. I would plan on layering.

 

[Luv_Tink]

Ugh, ugh, ugh! How frustrating that has to be! I would not bother calling anymore but instead just show up at the dealership and talk to someone face to face. I don't know anything about RVs but can you take the fridge out and put another one in? If so, maybe get a loaner from the dealership to use and they can fix yours while you are gone?

Well, they would have to have a fridge available to put in since there's no time to order one at this point. And I don't know what replacing one entails if they even had one that would fit. My husband has been in the shop several times over the past month trying to get a firm commitment from them. We've told them repeatedly if they can't do it we would take it somewhere else. We're finding out that their service manager knows nothing about customer service. She really should be fired. We did get word that they are looking at it today and we should have an update by noon if they think they can get it working. Of course all they've do so far is confirm exactly what we told them when said it wasn't working.

Hubby is getting updates directly from one of the owners of the dealership now and I think he at least understands the urgency and what our demands are at this point. They actually owe us over $700 for work hubby has done for them at a discount. If they had paid someone else to do the work it would have been well over $1200. So if we can get the cash, we'll just go buy a really good cooler to get us through until we plug in in Anaheim. But first they have to make the determination of whether or not they can fix our fridge in time. I hate waiting for this kind of stuff.

 

[aidansmother]

Just found out my days have been approved! Last minute trip, can't wait to tell my kiddo!

 

[PlutoJenn]

Yes.

I think it has been really pleasant, but I don't like high heat, and of course, I'm not used to it anymore. The city has been in the low 70s during the day, and it gets cooler at night. We always have pants with us and a sweatshirt for the evenings. I have taken winter coats in with us during August! The thing about the city is it really depends on where you are- the coast by the ocean is often cool and windy, up through Golden Gate Park. Union Square is typically more protected from the winds and is a little warmer. Fisherman's Wharf is usually warmer than Ocean Beach side, but still cool. I would plan on layering.

Thank you, tiffjoy! The low 70s will be a big difference for us. The hubby will LOVE it. I, on the other hand, will not. Light jackets and long-sleeved tshirts are on the packing list.

 

[wildflower329]

I am looking forward to hearing reports as we get through the beginning of the month! We are 2.5 weeks out and I am getting a lot of stuff finalized... Our park hoppers and PP+ arrived the other day, I just bought our tickets to Aquarium of the Pacific with my company discount, booked Ariel's Grotto for lunch on one of our days, and we made the final decision to just stay at PVI. We had considered moving to HoJo's, but the price difference was still enough that we decided to stick with PVI. Really wanted to try the Courtyard, but since we will have a rental car and they charge $20/night for parking, plus no free breakfast, and already higher prices, we decided it wasn't worth it.

I too am wondering how the weather will be for us. We have been in the upper 90s to low 100s most of the summer, and our days in the 80s feel cool. I better think about packing jackets/sweatshirts just in case!

 

[Winnowill]

We're driving out in two days. My DD7 woke up this morning all happy for "two more days!" We have NINE princess dresses packed.

 

[tiffjoy]

We're driving out in two days. My DD7 woke up this morning all happy for "two more days!" We have NINE princess dresses packed.

Sounds like how my packing goes. I bought two new ones each to bring, too. Insane clearance priced Elsa for DD5 and Rapunzel for DD3, and then Cinderella (DD3) and Sleeping Beauty (DD5) from Little Dress Up Shop for our professional pics we are getting done.

 

[Winnowill]

Sounds like how my packing goes. I bought two new ones each to bring, too. Insane clearance priced Elsa for DD5 and Rapunzel for DD3, and then Cinderella (DD3) and Sleeping Beauty (DD5) from Little Dress Up Shop for our professional pics we are getting done.

We have three official Frozen costumes (Anna travel, Anna coronation, and Elsa), Belle, Rapunzel, two Cinderella (the blue dress and wedding dress - Target versions, NOT $100-each Disney Deluxe versions), a generic "princess", and a home-made exquisitely beautiful "Frozen Fever" dress that my mom made.

 

[Golf4food]

Is anyone doing anything but Disney?

We're renting a car from the DTD Alamo on the day we move from the Hojo to the GCV and are driving down to Laguna Beach, hitting the marine wildlife rescue center, the art festival, walk around the town and beach, have some dinner and hopefully watch the sunset. Aside from that it is all DL all the time. It's not like we'll be making too many cross country pilgrimages in the future (maybe one more to DL in ten years or so, but we've got all the other Disney parks around the world to hit, too!)

 

[tiffjoy]

We're renting a car from the DTD Alamo on the day we move from the Hojo to the GCV and are driving down to Laguna Beach, hitting the marine wildlife rescue center, the art festival, walk around the town and beach, have some dinner and hopefully watch the sunset. Aside from that it is all DL all the time. It's not like we'll be making too many cross country pilgrimages in the future (maybe one more to DL in ten years or so, but we've got all the other Disney parks around the world to hit, too!)

I'm hoping to get to Laguna beach this trip, too! we've never been to that beach.

If you are looking for around the world parks to hit, I cannot recommend Tokyo Disney enough. We went for one day on our Japan trip, and we are definitely planning a longer return. It is the most amazing park.

 

[Golf4food]

I'm hoping to get to Laguna beach this trip, too! we've never been to that beach.

If you are looking for around the world parks to hit, I cannot recommend Tokyo Disney enough. We went for one day on our Japan trip, and we are definitely planning a longer return. It is the most amazing park.

Tokyo is definitely top on my list, but likely won't be first. DL Paris will probably be next. We'll save Tokyo for after Shanghai is open so we can take a long week to hit all three Asian parks back-to-back-to-back.


ETA: Single digit dance!!! Woot!