Why does drinking always lead us back to Disney? Sept 2017 6/13 update!

[pepperandchips]

Its convenient to go over to Epcot for breakfast too.

Did someone say Poulet au Pistou? BRB gotta go to Les Halles real quick....

 

[IowaTater]

Really? I used to be a Rep for Chicago for him. What books do you have as we are in several of them! HA!
You should go to the conference in June we are thinking about going if i can talk my mom into watching the kids and dogs for a night.

I've loaned out the majority of them but the ones I know for sure I have are Haunted St. Louis & Haunted Alton. I just looked up information on the conference and it looks amazing. I'll have to see if I an get a couple of my ghost hunting friends to come along with me. I'm only about a 45 minute drive from Alton anyway. Keep me posted if you guys go.

This trip is in 2017 and they will be 13 by then.

This is a good point. Hmmmm....maybe you can tell them right before you have to make FastPass selections. Or have a night where the theme is "Plan Your Ideal Disney Trip" and take your cues from that. And then do the big reveal the week or night before.

 

[ljcrochet]

I have rented out my points on disboards rental forum. Actually DH did. The other time we rented out our point, we used dvc rental by david. I think when renting points from a company, you have to pay upfront.

If you do rent points to stay at AKV, look at staying at Kidani. The 1 bedroom has 2 bathrooms, jambo house 1 bedroom only has 1 bathroom.

 

[Chicago Mo]

I have some pictures of BWI I could share with you Mo.
Send me your email address via messenger maybe? And I can send them over.

PLEASE PLEASE! PM sent!

I've only stayed club level at the Wilderness Lodge, so I don't know anything about BWI CL. But I have heard raves about it and it is supposed to be really nice. Here is the club level discussion thread with pictures of the different club levels on the first page:

OMG! I have been reading this and re-reading!! THANK YOU!
I love how they wrote about not coming in in your PJ's or Swim Suit?!?! LOL!
I am not guaranteeing i won't be in my PJ's

This trip is in 2017 and they will be 13 by then. Even though the eleven year old kids right now want a surprise, the thirteen year old kids might want to help plan. I would keep that in mind since you are so far away from the actual trip. A lot of things change when kids hit their teens. Do you know exactly what elements of the surprise they liked and which elements they weren't crazy about, if any?

Nope. Not tellin em.. They loved not knowing about ANYTHING then the element of WE'RE GOING NOW..
Nothing they didn't like. You are right. they will be 12 going to be 13 (on the trip) I do need to keep that in mind.

Southwest usually has the lowest prices on Tuesday and Wednesdays and the next lowest on Saturday and Monday. Thursday and Friday are the most expensive. We usually fly on a Wednesday to get the lowest price on at least one leg of the trip. So on a four day trip we'll fly Saturday to Wednesday and a five day trip will be Wednesday to Monday. Monday is cheaper than Saturday. But you will be hitting Labor Day weekend with those dates, so Labor Day Monday will be very expensive. Wednesday to Wednesday would probably be the cheapest deal.

Lowest on a saturday?? Really?!?!
well... now this is putting things in perspective.. I will have to re-think my dates. as i DO want to fly and not spend 2,000 just on flights. Wednesday to Wednesday isn't so bad right? OR! Monday to wednesday?!?! Grrr... what to do what to do... as long as we are there on the 8th i don't care! LOL.. Football is going to be a factor here too. so missing ONE game isn't that bad?? im going to sit and look at a calendar!

My thought to surprise them...

Plunk them in the car and start driving... They might get the idea when they wake up in Georgia?

No driving this time! Flying! Although i do think they would notice all the luggage!!!

Love this idea! They would never see it coming.

They would notice the luggage!

Throw them in the car and tell them you are come visiting me, lol....then drive from there.

IF i was driving that's not a bad idea!

For some reason the flights from Nashville to Orlando are super expensive. I actually looked, and it was so much cheaper for me to drive four hours to Atlanta, stay in a hotel, pay to park and fly out of there. Even with hotel, gas and parking, it was so much cheaper than flying out of Nashville. Not sure why? Anywho, I will have to think about the surprise options. I would say continue talking Disney. That way they may start to tune it out, whereas if you stop talking about it right now, you know you will start talking about it when it gets closer, and then they will really be suspicious.

Good Point!!! I like talking Disney..

I do agree with you there, so many room categories/ view types. I have to read and re- read them to understand!

They really make it confusing. now i know a little bit more i will have to re-read it again!

Absolutely! I was way confused about the whole thing at first too, but if you go with a broker their website they have a "points calculator". That makes it so much easier. You plug in your travel dates and it tells you how many points
are needed for the dates you want to stay and where you want to stay. You then multiply the points it says you'll need for that specific resort and #of nights. It will also tell you what each point will cost, for example if it's $16 per point you then take the number of points required x the cost per point.
My Poly stay for example, 127 points needed for the week x $16/ point = $2032.

hummm that is pretty cheap... Especially for the Poly, that is getting crazy expensive!

Yes! Having a car and staying at AKL is the way to go!

I will have to do that!

Oh I like that idea!!

crazies..

If you can keep the fact that you are flying a secret then the kids will really be surprised and excited, too. And club level is another big surprise. You already have some great things to work with.

yes and we like to take a limo TO the airport. so that is another one! Now this is getting a little better. Your right i do have a lot to work with!
I am going to check out other airports too!

Rent a "fancy" van and tell them you are taking a birthday roadtrip to somewhere completely boring to spend a week doing things that make them roll their eyes. Go to the completely boring place, check into a hotel for the night and tell them you are super excited about the events that you have lined up for the next day (complete with a long list of super BOOOOORING). In the morning tell them to pack their bags because *SURPRISE* you are going to a super fancy hotel the next night *like that's the big surprise* pack them into the car and drive to MCO/Disney instead.

I do like this a lot!

As a possible halfway stop...I'm sure that Chattanooga has great things to do/see, but you can probably make it boring as all get out. It's a gift given to all parents, right? I'd pick that location because it's more than halfway.

your too funny. But use this for the next trip when we DRIVE to AKL!

The gift of the fancy rental car is that if you are a fan of the magical express you can take it to MCO, return it and get on the magical express (we've done this before when we visited family in Tampa before a Disney trip). Then to save yourselves the pain of a 2 day drive home fly back one way.

Huh? you can drive to MCO and take DME?
Renting a car to drive all the way there is going to be really costly. ALTHOUGH i would love to rent an RV.

IF you wanted to make it a REALLY elaborate hoax you could make the fancy hotel the airport hotel at MCO, tell them you are headed to a surprise location the next morning and wait until the AM of day 3 to get on the Magical Express. I'm pretty sure that they'd figure it out when you got to MCO. But if you and Tom are good liars (read: storytellers) you could spend the car-ride making up elaborate stories about where you were going. Every time they think they've figured it out change the plot on them again!

I like the change of plat every few stops... Then again i would need to write it all down. Lost in all the lies and lose it! LOL

Can you tell that I'm totally amused by the possibility of getting to the teenagers before they get to you?

Also I'm procrastinating finishing a paper.

YES YES I DO! your awesome.

Like you i am the biggest procrastinator! for ANYTHING even a shower! LOL

The only animals that are penned up at night are the wild pigs because they would tear up the savannah in one night. Occasionally specific animals may be put inside, but they are usually all out all night. There is an area at Jambo where you can borrow night vision goggles to see the savannah in the dark.

Which one do you prefer? Jambo or Kindani?
That is really really cool!

Okay so you can go to any points rental website (David's, I believe, is/was a sponsor on the boards, I used dvc rental store, but you can just google DVC points calendar calculator and some should come up.) Put in your dates on the calendar and it will show you the points needed to book that week/several days/whatever your desired travel period is, and the dvc rental store one in particular (others may too) shows you a comparison of all the villas at the different resorts from a humble studio on up to a 3 bedroom grand villa so you can compare. Then take the number of points from the calculator... Say it's 150 for your week for your Savanna view room. Multiply that by what your DVC renter is charging you (anywhere from $12 per point from an individual on up to $17 per point from DVC rental store for a small reservation 11 months out). You can shop around the points brokers to see who is offering the lowest price with a reputation you like. So if you pay $15 per point and the reservation "costs" 150 points, $15x150=$2,250

I see AKL is the cheapest one! I wonder WHY?
Going to need more time to play with this!

(I have no idea what a savanna studio costs -- I made those numbers up. I paid around $500 per night for my 1 br villa at the grand flo but that place is so expensive just for a hotel room I really got an incredible value)

I think you really did!

I should have read through all the posts before I answered!

Your too funny...

Points for September are:
BWV - 1 bedroom (sleeps 5) - standard view (not pool) 154
- 1 bedroom - boardwalk view 202 (pool view is the same # of points)

i like the boardwalk view... What did you have?

AKL - Jambo House -
1 bedroom (sleeps 5) standard view (usually pool or edge of savannah) 162
1 bedroom - savannah view - 209
Club level - 1 bedroom savannah view - 253
If you figure $15 point - the cost for the AKL Club level would be $3795.

That's a lot of money for just a resort!

I like AKL well enough, but I love Boardwalk - its so convenient to everything - and we like being able to walk to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. Its a bit inconvenient for QS, but with a one bedroom, you have a fully equipped kitchen - you can have coffee and breakfast in the room - or go down to the Bakery for coffee and breakfast. Its convenient to go over to Epcot for breakfast too.

I do believe we will stay at CL for Boardwalk! this way we have whatever we want right there - ya know?? spoil US!!! and a 2 bedroom (i think?) at AKL. on the next trip. Yet that bakery looks delish! what was your favorite? What do you recommend? UGH! i cannot wait!

Did someone say Poulet au Pistou? BRB gotta go to Les Halles real quick....

Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I've loaned out the majority of them but the ones I know for sure I have are Haunted St. Louis & Haunted Alton. I just looked up information on the conference and it looks amazing. I'll have to see if I an get a couple of my ghost hunting friends to come along with me. I'm only about a 45 minute drive from Alton anyway. Keep me posted if you guys go.

YAY! yes as long as i can get my mom to watch kids/dogs we will be there. it's the 20th anniversary and he called me out on facebook to go.

This is a good point. Hmmmm....maybe you can tell them right before you have to make FastPass selections. Or have a night where the theme is "Plan Your Ideal Disney Trip" and take your cues from that. And then do the big reveal the week or night before.

I like the PLAN your ideal Disney trip idea. that sounds like TOO MUCH FUN!



Sorry for the short replies.. I have to run I am busy today and i have to work Job #2 right after!

TALK SOON!

 

[Chicago Mo]

I have rented out my points on disboards rental forum. Actually DH did. The other time we rented out our point, we used dvc rental by david. I think when renting points from a company, you have to pay upfront.

If you do rent points to stay at AKV, look at staying at Kidani. The 1 bedroom has 2 bathrooms, jambo house 1 bedroom only has 1 bathroom.

Sorry i missed this!
I two bathrooms is a huge PLUS with my family!!!

 

[Iamthequeen]

I've only ever had a muffin from the bakery, but we walk in and look at the goodies frequently. Most of them I can't eat anyway. Yogurt anyone?

 

[Iamthequeen]

I just looked at the number of points for a one week stay, more nights would equal more points and points vary according to the time of year you go. September is one of "value" season months, so they have lowest number of points required.

Last year we were in one of the red buildings with arches - on the side closest to Jellyrolls.

 

[DisneyKates]

you can drive to MCO and take DME?

Yup! We flew to Tampa a few days before our last big family Disney trip so we could see in-laws. Then we rented a car and met up w/the rest of the Fam at the MCO DME pick up. I love DME so I thought it was genius on our part.

 

[DisneyKates]

@DisneyKates is a surprise genius!

Awe, thanks! I love a good surprise!

 

[Chicago Mo]

I've only ever had a muffin from the bakery, but we walk in and look at the goodies frequently. Most of them I can't eat anyway. Yogurt anyone?

SHUCKS! i was checking out the pictures of the bakery and all i can say is YUM! i am SURE the kids will make frequent stops here! Like Tom and i will make frequent stops at the margarita stand.

Where are you staying next year?

I just looked at the number of points for a one week stay, more nights would equal more points and points vary according to the time of year you go. September is one of "value" season months, so they have lowest number of points required.

Last year we were in one of the red buildings with arches - on the side closest to Jellyrolls.

Yep! Sept 20something we will go to AKL. I want to start going every OTHER year...

Yup! We flew to Tampa a few days before our last big family Disney trip so we could see in-laws. Then we rented a car and met up w/the rest of the Fam at the MCO DME pick up. I love DME so I thought it was genius on our part.

This is something i did NOT know! thank you!!!

Awe, thanks! I love a good surprise!

Me too! so i am glad your on board!


















******************************
Yesterday sucked.

Sorry there is no other way to explain it except it was down right yucky. I was on my way to job #2 straight from the city job and as i am driving i hit the gas to go around a truck and... Nothing.. I mean NADA- Nothing- zip- zilch. Pressed the gas again and the RPM is going but the car is NOT MOVING.
oh no

no


no


I am on a busy expressway where people must go 70 or above they think it's the autobahn! Thankfully i have enough momentum to cut across the 3 lanes of traffic to the right shoulder... EVERYTHING is working on my car.. EVERYTHING but it's not MOVING. so i call for help on Facebook when i remembered being part of a tow truck page! WHO DOES THAT?!?!
Luck would have it and he would be there in 30 minutes. several friends called who would charge 150.00+ No thanks! i got this!



There is my battleship!


So everyone is telling me it sounds like my trans.


Yikes.


This old girl has been around the block a few times. Including TWO trip to Disney!! So i need to give her some TLC. I am PRAYING it isn't something expensive... PLEASE OH PLEASE let it be something small... I cannot afford something huge!
Also why is it i always have car issues when ON an expressway??? Why can't this happen when i am tutting around in a neighborhood?!?! NOOOOOOOOOOOO must happen when people are going 90 mph!


I swear cars KNOW when you have a little $$ saved up because that is when something happens ya know? Right now it looks like instead of it being the year of the house.. It's turned into the yeear of the CAR!! Grumble!!!!

So the tow driver was able to get my battleship in front of the house like a PRO! it was a smallish spot.. and he did it!

Tomorrow i have to have her towed into a garage to see what exactly is going on! WISH ME LUCK!

 

[IowaTater]

it's the 20th anniversary and he called me out on facebook to go.

Sooooo, your attendance is required then?? lol I'll keep you posted but so far it sounds like a go for me.

Tomorrow i have to have her towed into a garage to see what exactly is going on! WISH ME LUCK!

Oh no!! Stupid cars. I know how you feel though. Ours is on its last leg too but we haven't had a car payment in so long, it's hard for me to pull the trigger. I hope it's nothing too expensive!

 

[Chicago Mo]

Sooooo, your attendance is required then?? lol I'll keep you posted but so far it sounds like a go for me.

i guess! LOL Let me know!!!

Oh no!! Stupid cars. I know how you feel though. Ours is on its last leg too but we haven't had a car payment in so long, it's hard for me to pull the trigger. I hope it's nothing too expensive!

yes stupid cars! Thank you me too! I don't NEED a hefty bill!!!

 

[Chicago Mo]

Let's talk club level! ​

I am really enjoying and getting very excited over staying Club Level!!!

Mornings- the kids can go over and get whatever they want for a quick breakfast!! After the parks we can go back and have a night cap? really? I am all over this! Kahlua in my coffee??? While watching illuminations? Yes please!
Robes? I won't use it but still that is FUN! It's so secluded you have to have your MB to get it? oh it's like a secret club---and i am hoping a lot of the riffraff we had to deal with over at AoA isn't there!!!
Even just hanging out on the balcony relaxing just sounds like HEAVEN!

I am reading the CL thread thanks to Wood Nymph for posting it!!! I am so ready for this!

All these pro's are beating out the fact they have a terrible clown!

The kids are going to have a blast with a little freedom of walking the boardwalk enjoying all the sites and able to grab some snacks!!


Giddy giddy!!!

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter!!!

​

 

[goofymimi]

Happy Easter!!

 

[ljcrochet]

Car problems suck. Hope it is an easy and cheap fix.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Mornings- the kids can go over and get whatever they want for a quick breakfast!! After the parks we can go back and have a night cap? really? I am all over this! Kahlua in my coffee??? While watching illuminations? Yes please!

I enjoyed the Kahlua in the evening when we stayed club level at WL. It was perfect and went well with dessert.

 

[Elevationist]

That clown is probably drunk on kahlua, too. I hate that guy.

I love the idea of CLUB LEVEL! I considered it for my October Beach Club trip, but being solo, it's just not worth the price difference. If I had a family though and we were all partaking from the offerings, then absolutely!!!

 

[Iamthequeen]

Not sure where we will be staying next September, I will book Boardwalk in October, but not sure if we will stay there or move somewhere else at 7 months. Although if you are going to be there, we would consider just staying. I've only ever had a Boardwalk view. Between Kidani or Jambo, I like them both, however, Jambo House lobby is much larger and more impressive than Kidani and the food court is at Jambo. There are a few food items, coffee and drink dispensers in the small store at Kidani, but there isn't much there - and I believe the CL is only at Jambo. I know you need a special card/band to access the 6th floor, where the CL is at Jambo. One day we will stay there.

 

[Bamfield]

I know I am a little late to the party but joining. Loved your intro then got a bit confused with the dates until I got all caught up. Sometimes it takes me a minute or more to process, but love it so far!

Just wanted to let you know you really got me thinking about Great America. My son just got his first summer job there just last week. Boy, I hope it works out for him but I can't have him laying on my couch all summer after CC practice again. I worked at Cedar Point during college and we flagged folks coming in through admissions gates to let them know to go to the park office to see if there were restrictions. I am definitely going to make sure he knows he needs to be a heads up employee. What a terrible experience they should be ashamed with their response.

Second, I can't tell you how much we enjoyed CL. The last time we were there we stayed at BC CL for the first time. I am not fortunate like you, my DH is not a Disney fan. However, I first bribed him with Deluxe resorts then we moved to CL. Now he won't let me go back down to a different level. We think they do a fabulous job with their food for breakfast and snacks. It is great to run in there to get a adult beverage, soda or water without having to get a resort mug and hoof it to the nearest store/food court. AND you can't beat the availability of the IPO number to get additional fast passes. The turn down service is nice too, fresh towels and chocolate. By the way we tried to get BW CL for our spring trip this year but it wasn't available it looks fabulous.

Good luck on picking a surprise method for the kids, sounds like they will like any way! Looking forward to reading more!

Happy Easter!

 

[Clio]

Just wanted to stop by and wish you and your kids a Happy Easter. I have been reading along, just not commenting. I do agree about the scary clown pool at the Boardwalk. It's just creepy to me.
Our next Disney trip is in September -If my boss approves it. My son in law is my supervisor and we both have to be off at the same time to go since he does most of the driving. She owes us a favor so we're calling it in for this trip.
Have a great day.
Liz