PHXscuba's Club 33 Christmas

If you have access to the Navy Fed branch by Luke, they have a free counting machine in the lobby :-)

Hello, Sunflare! :wave2: Glad to see another local following along!

We have a Navy Fed not far from me here in the East Valley. Do I have to be special to use their machine or can anyone?

PHXscuba
 
I haven't counted yet, but I think you all have WAY overshot my penny total. Remember, it's only pennies. I think one time when it was one-third full I only had about $7.50. So I'm thinking guesses under $100 are more likely to be close. I will give any of you a second guess if you want to revise. :)

***Sigh*** It looks like the Fast Pass time enforcement is starting before our trip and will be in full force by then. I am going to confess that I have been a FastPass hoarder who gathered all morning and used in the afternoon or evening. I think one day I had 5 sets of FPs at once.

So it will change my touring style. Luckily with roughly two days in each park I don't need to go quite as commando on FP -- we can go slower and be more flexible. I guess it will be more like I used to tour before I knew they could be used late: enter an area and get a FP, then ride smaller rides and eat until the FP time came. Back to the drawing board.

PHXscuba


Me too about the FP. We are going on Feb. 24 and I am very sad we are just missing it. I usually go to WDW so I was looking forward to being FP return time free once again.

I just hate doing the proper return time. Usually I'm at the opposite side of the park by then. Our last WDW trip we returned home with about half of our FP's unused. :sad:
 
***Sigh*** It looks like the Fast Pass time enforcement is starting before our trip and will be in full force by then. I am going to confess that I have been a FastPass hoarder who gathered all morning and used in the afternoon or evening. I think one day I had 5 sets of FPs at once.

So it will change my touring style. Luckily with roughly two days in each park I don't need to go quite as commando on FP -- we can go slower and be more flexible. I guess it will be more like I used to tour before I knew they could be used late: enter an area and get a FP, then ride smaller rides and eat until the FP time came. Back to the drawing board.

PHXscuba

When we were at WDW over Christmas the FP return time was 'strictly' enforced. A fellow FP horder, we really had to change the way we toured. We got more walking in for sure. Our gathering of FP technique didn't change, when we used them sure did. It all worked out.

As an up side, we didn't have any overly long FP return lines. I've stood in the TOT FP line over 40 minutes at DL....

TK
 
When we were at WDW over Christmas the FP return time was 'strictly' enforced. A fellow FP horder, we really had to change the way we toured. We got more walking in for sure. Our gathering of FP technique didn't change, when we used them sure did. It all worked out.

As an up side, we didn't have any overly long FP return lines. I've stood in the TOT FP line over 40 minutes at DL....

TK

I am wondering if it will change how people pull FPs -- if they will last longer because people choose not to get one if they don't like the return time, and if the FP return lines will be more consistent and hopefully shorter. I think long-term and overall it will probably be OK, just in the short-term it is frustrating to have them finally close the loophole right before MY trip.

PHJXscuba
 


HI! I'm glad to be following along :-) I'm pretty sure you have to be DOD eligible to have an account there - https://www.navyfederal.org/about/eligibility-checklist.php . It used to be a lot more restrictive though... you used to only be able to get an account at Navy boot camp, Marine boot camp, and overseas (I think... ). The counter gives you a slip of paper with the total on it, and the tellers deposit that amount into your account.
 
HI! I'm glad to be following along :-) I'm pretty sure you have to be DOD eligible to have an account there - https://www.navyfederal.org/about/eligibility-checklist.php . It used to be a lot more restrictive though... you used to only be able to get an account at Navy boot camp, Marine boot camp, and overseas (I think... ). The counter gives you a slip of paper with the total on it, and the tellers deposit that amount into your account.

Bummer ... even if I was eligible (unlikely), I don't think I'd open a whole new account to deposit pennies! :rotfl2:


Keep the guesses coming ... I have to start counting!


PHXscuba
 
PHXscuba said:
Bummer ... even if I was eligible (unlikely), I don't think I'd open a whole new account to deposit pennies! :rotfl2:

Keep the guesses coming ... I have to start counting!

PHXscuba

Most banks have the change counting machines. Who do you bank with?
 


Hope I am not too late guessing. I'll say $89.26

Welcome Lynne G! :wave2: Hope you are enjoying our pre-trip goofiness! I am having people guess until Sunday. Plus I still have to get the coins counted!

Good news on that: I checked out CoinStar (they have several near me, including at my Kroger-brand grocery store Fry's), and they will count the coins for free if you redeem them for an e-gift certificate, including Amazon. Since I am a regular Amazon shopper, it makes sense to cash out for Amazon credit through CoinStar and put the equivalent in my trip fund.

So off to the grocery tomorrow ... assuming the cold I feel coming on doesn't lay me out. :crazy2:

PHXscuba
 
So the "cold" turned out to be a virus that knocked me on my butt last night with fever and chills. I am about 90 percent better now, thanks to my hearty immune system.

I took it easy today, but I had enough strength to get my kids' Valentine stuff together and bake and frost a heart-shaped brownie for DH (his favorite treat).

DH and I don't do big things for Valentine's Day. Here's what he got me. I texted him the photo when I saw it in Target and he was wise to follow up.

photo-10_zpse5a0d5dd.jpg

It has treats inside and I can keep the boxes for decorations. Adorable! :lovestruc

I will share the only two photos I can find of us alone together at Disney:

Toy Story Mania, 2008:

photo-11_zps675a6f4a.jpg


Epcot, 2011:

photo-12_zps29d1ab83.jpg

Now that we have several kids old enough to take pictures, I need to get more of us together.

Happy Valentine's to those of you celebrating. I will be recovering and eating some treats.


PHXscuba
 
With 48 hours until the big penny-counting reveal, there's still time to get in on the fun!! I have been to the CoinStar machine and the pennies (and two dimes that snuck in) are all counted! :woohoo:

Our guesses so far:

cristyhas3: $222.00
kaoden39: $168.00
tksbaskets: $129
OhioStateBuckeye: $87
LynneG: $89.26

Remember, the closest two get a DLR pressed penny of their choice, or 51 cents worth of wishes into the wishing well in their honor!

I know this will keep you all in suspense all weekend. :laughing:

PHXscuba
 
With 48 hours until the big penny-counting reveal, there's still time to get in on the fun!! I have been to the CoinStar machine and the pennies (and two dimes that snuck in) are all counted! :woohoo:

Our guesses so far:

cristyhas3: $222.00
kaoden39: $168.00
tksbaskets: $129
OhioStateBuckeye: $87
LynneG: $89.26

Remember, the closest two get a DLR pressed penny of their choice, or 51 cents worth of wishes into the wishing well in their honor!

I know this will keep you all in suspense all weekend. :laughing:

PHXscuba

I think that LynneG gets points for adding the cents in?:flower3:


And DH gets extra points for your Valentines Day gift!
 
So I know you've all been dying to see how many pennies I had ...

The penny jar just before it was emptied ...

photo1_zpsf2a700b4.jpg


The receipt listing my total:

photo2_zps0e2d75d4.jpg


$13.91!!!

You were all so optimistic about how much I would get to add to my trip fund! The way I see it, it still equals 4 Mickey ice cream bars, which is how I measure all things.

I will be PM'ing LynneG and OhioStateBuckeye to see which penny or wish they want! Thanks for playing along! pixiedust:

In other news ... 3 weeks from now I will have my face pressed to the window of the van, hoping for my first glimpse of the Matterhorn. It's a old family tradition, even though now you usually see the Tower of Terror or Screamin' first.

Three weeks seems so far away and so soon at once. I have so much to do! I have to plan DS' birthday party (bowling) and buy gifts. This week is already looking like a lost cause -- I am still suffering the effects of the cold/virus so I am foggy and froggy with a horrible-sounding cough. The kids are out of school on Monday so I won't get much done, I have jury duty Wednesday :crazy2:, and a big school dinner that I'm helping with Friday. So then I'm 2 weeks from leaving ... with not much more accomplished.

PHXscuba
 
I'm literally splitting a gut here. Oh MY! I was a tad high.

OK - enough for you to treat yourself to a churro or a couple of Mickey ice cream bars...
 
I'm literally splitting a gut here. Oh MY! I was a tad high.

OK - enough for you to treat yourself to a churro or a couple of Mickey ice cream bars...

You get a "Wishful Thinking" award pixiedust: for your optimism!

Mmmmm... churros.:lovestruc

PHXscuba
 
Since we are down to 19 days until we get there, I bought our Photopass Plus online! We'll see how it goes.

This cold is still messing with my head -- feels like my brain has been shrink-wrapped. Making complex decisions is beyond me right now -- I'm just trying to stay afloat. I have jury duty tomorrow and those defendants better hope the lawyers don't pick me!

That being said, I do have to keep chipping away at trip prep. I think I can handle printing pictures for activity booklets for the car trip.

PHXscuba
 
Since we are down to 19 days until we get there, I bought our Photopass Plus online! We'll see how it goes.

This cold is still messing with my head -- feels like my brain has been shrink-wrapped. Making complex decisions is beyond me right now -- I'm just trying to stay afloat. I have jury duty tomorrow and those defendants better hope the lawyers don't pick me!

That being said, I do have to keep chipping away at trip prep. I think I can handle printing pictures for activity booklets for the car trip.

PHXscuba

Bummer about being sick but let's hope you are feeling great when you leave for your vacation. I really enjoyed the PPP. :thumbsup2
 
OK, I have almost made it through Hell Week. :cool1:

I am finally starting to feel better despite the coughing and missed sleep. Jury duty was relatively painless and over in one day. Tonight is a big school dinner that I am helping with. It is 80's theme and my outfit is embarrassing/freaking out the kids. :thumbsup2 Nailed it!

Tomorrow it will be two weeks until we leave town and I go into overdrive getting everything up wrapped before we leave town for a week. I can't wait!!! :hyper:

PHXscuba
 
LOVE your comment about embarrassing your kids with 80's night garb. I just purchased a rubber stamp that says "Embarrassing my children...just another service I offer."

Two weeks? You must be getting excited. :goodvibes
 

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