Our "Because I Love You" Trip DVC Style...DAILY UPDATES STARTED 8/8/09

[ariel1025]

Well, the moment I have been waiting and waiting for came yesterday.....

Yep, Southwest FINALLY released their fares for our trip. Now I should have been doing this but to be honest I was kind of doing this Normally I use Southwest every chance I can, but this time I'm at a loss with what to do. The earliest they will get us to Florida is at 3:00 which isn't that big of a deal. But, in order to do that we have to take a layover in Houston, still not a big deal. However, the layover is over 2 hours long!!!! That (to me) is a big deal. If I have to get up at the crack of dawn I don't want to spend two hours of my Disney time at the Houston airport Now, I realize I might sound like a baby, I know most flights have layovers but, I can get a flight through Continental for the same price and get there at 1:00.

Ok, so far it sounds like an easy decision right? WRONG!!! We are using Southwest for our flight to Disneyland and we have been lucky enough to have our flight prices go down twice already. That means that we have flight credits to use, and we were planning on using them for this trip. But, now I kind of don't want to. Then I figured I would use the credits to fly back Southwest, but they latest flight out is at 2:00 and I was hoping to get like a 6:00 or 7:00 flight back. Which Continental also has.

The other thing is if I wait then I know that the Southwest flights will probably go down in price, whereas Continental won't.

So, what would you guys do? Take a flight time you don't really want or hope that you can use your Southwest credits within a year and take the flight on the other airline??

I am really at a loss. Candi says to do whatever, but I know that I will feel guilty if we dont' end up using the flight credits because it is lost money. At the same time, I really want to get to Orlando as early as possible.

HELP!!!!!!

Sorry, this was more of a negative and "whiny" post. I promise he next one will be happy and "pity free"

 

[stacikristine]

I'd probably go with Continental and then try to use your points some other time. You're paying a lot for your Disney World vacation and you'd be wasting money if you didn't get to take advantage of being there longer. So it pretty much evens out if you think about it

 

[DisneymoonJess07]

REMEMBER BAGGAGE FEES!! This killed us on our "deal" with United to NYC. First bag is $15 and second bag $25 with continental...that's an extra $60 on your flight if you take Continental and you and DH only bring one bag each!!! Something to consider, and was a surprise to us because we only really ever travel Southwest!!!!

 

[ariel1025]

I'd probably go with Continental and then try to use your points some other time. You're paying a lot for your Disney World vacation and you'd be wasting money if you didn't get to take advantage of being there longer. So it pretty much evens out if you think about it

Thanks for your input That is pretty much exactly how I feel...plus, who wants to give up WDW time to sit in an airport lobby eating yucky airport food when they could be eating a Mickey Bar?

REMEMBER BAGGAGE FEES!! This killed us on our "deal" with United to NYC. First bag is $15 and second bag $25 with continental...that's an extra $60 on your flight if you take Continental and you and DH only bring one bag each!!! Something to consider, and was a surprise to us because we only really ever travel Southwest!!!!

Ooohhhh, super good point. You know, I was so upset over the times that I forgot all about baggage fees. I will have to bring this up to Candi because we are not light packers. And we always come back with more than we went with!! Thanks so much for pointing that out to me

 

[ariel1025]

So, not too much going on with the planning. We have put a lot of thought into the whole "flight debacal" and I think we have come up with a plan...for now...you know how we are with decisions already

After talking it over and taking a couple of days to think about it we have decided to go ahead and take Southwest. Once we started thinking about how extremely tired we were on our last trip from getting up so early to be at the airport, it didn't make a difference that we got there at 1:30 because we still took a nap until almost 5:00 anyway. So, we figured this time we will try taking a flight that leaves a little later in the day and then (hopefully) all we will want to do when we get to the hotel is shower and "freshen up" before going out and having some fun. We haven't bought our flight tickets yet because to use our credits we have to wait until we use our flight to LA. But, once the tickets are booked ya'll will be the first to know our final decision

Beyond that I have a little something fun. I got the first of Candi's anniversary gifts in the mail today

It's his pin to go on the card that will tell him about his golf lesson surprise!!

Now I am just waiting on the remaining gifts to come in the mail and we will be all set...I just have to figure out how to pack it without him seeing it all

That's all I have for now...have a great day everyone!!!!

 

[DisneymoonJess07]

I am so glad my advice about the baggage fees was useful. Looking forward to seeing how your flights work out!

And that pin is super adorable!!

 

[figmentfan814]

I love the golfing pin; what a great way to reveal the surprise

 

[ariel1025]

I am so glad my advice about the baggage fees was useful. Looking forward to seeing how your flights work out!

And that pin is super adorable!!

Thanks We probably wouldn't have remembered about the baggage fees until it was too late if you hadn't said something, so thanks again!!

I love the golfing pin; what a great way to reveal the surprise

Thank you!! It's getting really hard to not break down and tell him though. It's getting warm here so he's been going golfing a lot and keeps telling me how his swing has gotten really bad since he didn't play much during the winter. I just can't wait to see his face when he learns about the lesson!!!

 

[ariel1025]

So, nothing more in the actual planning department. But, lots of other fun stuff going on....

Most importantly........MY PARENTS WILL BE HERE IN 5 DAYS!!!!!!!

Of course that means only 6 more days until I am another year older...EEK

Now, with that excitement out of the way, onto things slightly more relevant to the WDW trip...Candi's Anniversary surprise is coming along really well. I just received another one of his gifts in the mail

This is the little divot thing that you fix the ground with or something like that...not too sure but I know he has a plain one he always uses so I figured he would use this one too. And the center Mickey piece comes out and becomes your ball marker I'm going with a Mickey theme if ya can't tell He doesn't really have a favorite character so I went with the classic!!

I also made this "postcard" to go with it

the front

the back

I will give him a regular birthday card too (you have to have a "mushy love stuff" card for your First Anniversary ). The reason I also did the postcard is because this is going to be the first of clues that he will receive throughout the trip for all his special surprises. Only, at the time he gets this one he won't know that it's the first of several

Not too sure if you can read the back of the postcard but it says:

From:
Mickey Mouse
Magnolia Golf Course
Walt Disney World

Message:
Hiya Pal! I heard you were trying to improve your swing and I think I know just the thing! I've asked a friend to help you out, he's a pro so have no doubt. Be in the lobby and ready at ten, take a ride in a taxi then let the fun begin. See ya in September for a day you'll always remember!
Your Pal, Mickey Mouse

What do you guys think? Do you think he'll like it? I thought the little clues would be super fun and I had to do a wedding picture on the front of this one since he will be getting it on our Anniversary!!

Welp, unfortunately, that's about all I have for now. Hope everyone is doing well, I miss hearing from all of you!!!

Talk to ya soon!!

 

[ariel1025]

Hey everyone....

I just wanted to say that May 1 is going to be one of the most awesome days ever because.....

MY PARENTS WILL BE HERE

AND

MNSSHP TICKETS GO ON SALE



I probably won't post until next week because my parents will be here all weekend for my birthday so.... HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYBODY!!!!

 

[figmentfan814]

Have a wonderful birthday!

 

[stacikristine]

First of all, I love your anniversary postcard Very cute. And I'm sure he'll love all the golf stuff.

Secondly, have so much fun with your parents!!! And happy early birthday!!!!!

 

[DisneymoonJess07]

Happy early birthday!!!

 

[teddygurl28]

happy early bday! and enjoy the time with your family !

i think that clue on the postcard is the funnest thing ever!!!!!!!!

 

[tiggersam00]

Ok love love love your clue card! Such a great idea, I bet candi will be so surprised! Hope your having fun with your folks and have a happy brithday! Hope its awesome Shannon you deserve it girl

 

[ariel1025]

Have a wonderful birthday!

First of all, I love your anniversary postcard Very cute. And I'm sure he'll love all the golf stuff.

Secondly, have so much fun with your parents!!! And happy early birthday!!!!!

Happy early birthday!!!

happy early bday! and enjoy the time with your family !

i think that clue on the postcard is the funnest thing ever!!!!!!!!

Ok love love love your clue card! Such a great idea, I bet candi will be so surprised! Hope your having fun with your folks and have a happy brithday! Hope its awesome Shannon you deserve it girl

Hey everyone!! Thank you SO much for all the Birthday wishes, it really means a lot to me My parents left this morning so now I am just trying to recuperate and prepare myself for work tomorrow

 

[OneTreeHillAddict]

Hey! Tonight is catch up night for me. I don't fly but a friend of mine did this a couple of years ago for the same reasons. They took their airline and flew into Tampa. Then rented a car and drove to Disney. The drive is not bad at all. Only @ 40-45 minutes and Tampa is gorgeous too. Maybe you could fly to Tampa instead or Orlando and get there earlier!? Just a suggestion.

Quick question do you arrive the day we leave WDW? We leave on Sept 5th. I just glanced at my ticker and it looks like a match. That's cool. I wonder if we have time to meet.

Have to say...LOVE the gifts you picked out. He's gonna love it all!

 

[ariel1025]

Hey! Tonight is catch up night for me. I don't fly but a friend of mine did this a couple of years ago for the same reasons. They took their airline and flew into Tampa. Then rented a car and drove to Disney. The drive is not bad at all. Only @ 40-45 minutes and Tampa is gorgeous too. Maybe you could fly to Tampa instead or Orlando and get there earlier!? Just a suggestion.

Quick question do you arrive the day we leave WDW? We leave on Sept 5th. I just glanced at my ticker and it looks like a match. That's cool. I wonder if we have time to meet.

Have to say...LOVE the gifts you picked out. He's gonna love it all!

Hello!! Thanks for the advice about flying into Tampa...I will have to talk to DH and see if he would be up for it. If only we lived closer this wouldn't be a problem

We actually get there the day before you leave (September 4). We will definitely have to see about setting up a time to meet

 

[ariel1025]

Hey everyone!! Thanks again for all the Birthday wishes

I had an absolutely wonderful Birthday, the only thing that could have made it any better is if my sister would have been able to come too As much as I missed her though, it was still awesome. My parents arrived the day before my birthday and we had so much fun together. I gave my Mom her Mother's Day gift (I couldn't wait until the last day ). I had made her a video slideshow of all the pictures of my sister and I growing up (with a few of Candi thrown in at the end ). She absolutely loved it and of course, she cried. Then on my actual Birthday my Mom took me shopping and then we went to eat at one of my favorite restaurants, Tucanos. It's a brazilian grill with all the yummy food you could ever want Candi's parents, his brother and one of his Grandmas went with us to eat...we had a blast!! After dinner we came home and my Dad made me a turtle cheesecake...YUM and we watched "Marley & Me." The rest of the week was spent watching movies and playing board games...SUPER FUN!! Of course, their time here ended all too quickly and then I had to return to work today

Anyway....a small Disney update...

I got another one of Candi's Anniversary gifts in the mail today

This is his golf towel...I absolutely love it! I think it is so cute!!!

Now the only thing I am waiting on is his golf shirt, but it's on back order, so I'm kind of stressing out about if it's going to be ready in time

That's really all that's going on in the planning department. I am one month closer to making my ADRs Am I just crazy or does anybody else think that it's super fun to make ADRs???

Hope everyone is having a great start to their month!!!!

 

[ariel1025]

Ok, come on, admit it...I'm not the only one who has a love/hate relationship with the mailman right???????

I mean, one day all he's doing is stuffing your mailbox with a bunch of junk that will go straight into the trash can

The next day he's stuffing your mailbox full of bills that (you wish) would go straight into the trash can

And every so often, he fills your mailbox with something fun, like, a birthday card or a letter from your Grandma or the grocery ad saying your favorite cereal is on sale

But then it happens....the rare occurrence when you want to hunt down your mailman and hug him like he's your best friend in the world because he left you...........

MNSSHP TICKETS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It might not make the trip any closer but, boy oh boy, does it make me more excited!!! I have officially declared this the best week EVER.......oh, except the week I got married...oops

Ok, with that huge announcement aside, I am also very excited to let you know that I was at the outlet mall yesterday (thank you work for sending me on a day trip with an outlet mall nearby ) and I found the CUTEST golf outfit ever for when we go golfing in WDW. And just so you know I'm not exaggerating about how cute it is....have a look at it yourself

See, now, didn't I tell you it was that cute????

I may be a horrible golfer, but, by golly, I'm gonna look cute playing!

Ok, that is all for now. Everybody enjoy the rest of their Friday...I hope it's a great start to an even better weekend