ª"˜˜ª¤.¸Team August 2013 Thread! (Part 2)¸.¤ª˜˜"ª&#9733

[squirrel4569]

I was reading the business news yesterday on CBC and it sounds like its going to stick around this mark for a while. I've paid off the trip except for our hotel at Universal and that's done after we stay, and got some cash but I guess I'll just have to pay a bit more for the rest of it. Still it's way better then it was a few years back when it was 68 cents!

I used to live just across the border from Windsor and would routinely go to the casinos in Canada because our dollar went further there. At the time we could get anywhere from $1.50-1.75 CAD for $1 USD. Spent many a night at the casinos or the bingo halls. Canadians take their bingo seriously don't they?

 

[momto3gr8boys]

Everyone has been so chatty!

Phew...had to come back to our thread for some happiness. Some of the discussions about FastPass Plus are getting very negative and heated. Can't we all just get along?

In reality it looks like a handful of folks are predicting the demise of WDW as we know it due to the new technology. I'm one of the believers that think that while there may be some bumps in the transition, overall the goal is to improve the experience for everyone and not alienate guests, especially those repeat guests that go over and over. They also want to improve the experience for the first timer so they will become return guests. Some say Disney has too much invested in this for it not to work. $1 Billion dollars has been spent but for a company like Disney who has made BILLIONS in profits in recent years despite heavy promotions and discounts it's really not that big of a deal. I think they will make it work and will make adjustments based on feedback and overall people will be happy.

I'm also looking forward to it. I can think of some advantages to having it plus it's a better collectible than the KTTW card IMNSHO.

In other happy news, we got the OZ and Mulan/Mulan 2 movies this weekend from the DMC. The kids haven't seen Mulan so that will be fun for them to see just before we go so they can have an idea of who she is when we're in Epcot.

Other than that still hunting for a BOG dinner and contemplating next year's trip.

Count me in as someone looking forward to the change as well. For me, the ability to reserve fast passes and not have to go running through the park at the crack of dawn is a fantastic idea! I can't wait until it is implemented. I had hoped it would be up and running by our trip, but at this point I would rather not have it go into test mode.

Did you do online check in for your club level stay? I've heard not to, but I'd really like to - just to give me something to do I know it's odd, but it's just another step that tells me we're getting close

I WISH!!! You have me confused with some other lucky person going club level . We just have a lowly garden view. I did request Samoa and a balcony....we'll see. I really don't care where I end up, so it's not a big deal for me if it doesn't work out.

Bleh. The exchange rate isn't as good right now as it has been for my last few trips. I was charged an extra $44 to make a $600 payment on my card. I still have $1300 to pay so another $88 or so. Somehow I forgot to figure this in to my trip totals. It's not a huge deal, and could absolutely be worse, but it's kind of annoying.

Doesn't that stink? I have watched our dollar sinking a little bit more each day and have been very grateful that we have pretty much all of our trip either already paid or converted to cash and sitting in our USD bank account. Our only outstanding variable is our rental vehicle, so even if the slump hangs on its a minimal expense ($245 or less).

Hopefully it will pull itself up again within the next little while! That said, DH works in auto parts manufacturing so their bottom line benefits when our dollar is low. I guess there's a bright side to everything .

Sorry your dollar isn't doing so well. When we spent a few weeks in Canada a few years ago, the exchange rate was equal, but the cost of items were still higher, so for instance, when something was listed at $10 US dollars and $14 CDs, it stayed the same. That wound up being an expensive trip!! We are off to London in a few weeks and we are going to get killed with the exchange rate

Hello All!!!

I'm back to the threads after being off for a while. I just booked DH, niece(8), nephew(10) and myself for an August 17-21st trip. I'm super excited. I didn't we'd be going back to Disney until this fall for the Halloween party that we hadn't even booked yet. We were planning on taking a summer trip to San Antonio and Dallas. When I told DH how much money it was going to cost he got a little :eek. He didn't say anything else about a vacation for a couple of weeks. Then a few weeks ago, he said, "how much would it cost to go back to Disney. you know they'd rather go back there anyways." (We took them last June.) I got super excited. I'd rather go no where else. After a few days of , I gave him the numbers. Much to his surprise it was about the same. Then again.. I don't hear anything from him about it anymore. (He's a man of few words.) This past weekend, I told him.. If we are going to go, we need to make reservations now before 1. things start booking up or 2. the prices go up to where you don't want them for where we want to stay. Well.. He gave me the go ahead yesterday to go ahead and book it but to make sure that we can cancel a few days prior to in case a hurricane is scheduled to come through. Seriously...... ??????

The plan...

Leave our home, south of Houston, early afternoon of the 16th. Take our time, arrive at our resort Port Orleans - French Quarter close to lunch time if not earlier on Saturday, the 17th. If our room is ready, Great! Take a nap. If not, off to the Animal Kingdom we will go. We will close out the day here. Probably grab a bite to eat back at the resort and either call it an early night or let the kiddos have some pool time. Sunday, the 18th.. Head to Epcot then close out the night at MK with EMH. Monday, the 19th.. Hollywood Studios all day. I'm determined to get to Fantasmic! I've been to Disney probably 8 times and I've never been to Fantasmic. Tuesday, the 20th.. Magic Kingdom until around 6:00. Then head to Trails End Buffet for a 6:45 ADR. Close out the evening at Epcot. Wednesday, the 21st.. Request a late checkout. Head to Animal Kingdom which as EMH and stay until around lunch. Head back to the room, shower and get in more relaxed clothes so that we can start out trek back home. DH thinks we can make it back home without stopping to sleep. I'm already suggesting us stay between Tallahassee and Pensacola and get up the next morning to finish our journey.

I think this sounds like a good enough plan. What about y'all? I would've rather flown but the airline tickets would've been $200 less than our whole trip. No thank you!!!

Welcome! The airfare has been a killer this summer if you wait until now, so I don't blame you! Your itinerary looks great. We will be in Epcot and then MK on the 18th too!

 

[squirrel4569]

Hello All!!!

I'm back to the threads after being off for a while. I just booked DH, niece(8), nephew(10) and myself for an August 17-21st trip. I'm super excited. I didn't we'd be going back to Disney until this fall for the Halloween party that we hadn't even booked yet. We were planning on taking a summer trip to San Antonio and Dallas. When I told DH how much money it was going to cost he got a little :eek. He didn't say anything else about a vacation for a couple of weeks. Then a few weeks ago, he said, "how much would it cost to go back to Disney. you know they'd rather go back there anyways." (We took them last June.) I got super excited. I'd rather go no where else. After a few days of , I gave him the numbers. Much to his surprise it was about the same. Then again.. I don't hear anything from him about it anymore. (He's a man of few words.) This past weekend, I told him.. If we are going to go, we need to make reservations now before 1. things start booking up or 2. the prices go up to where you don't want them for where we want to stay. Well.. He gave me the go ahead yesterday to go ahead and book it but to make sure that we can cancel a few days prior to in case a hurricane is scheduled to come through. Seriously...... ??????

The plan...

Leave our home, south of Houston, early afternoon of the 16th. Take our time, arrive at our resort Port Orleans - French Quarter close to lunch time if not earlier on Saturday, the 17th. If our room is ready, Great! Take a nap. If not, off to the Animal Kingdom we will go. We will close out the day here. Probably grab a bite to eat back at the resort and either call it an early night or let the kiddos have some pool time. Sunday, the 18th.. Head to Epcot then close out the night at MK with EMH. Monday, the 19th.. Hollywood Studios all day. I'm determined to get to Fantasmic! I've been to Disney probably 8 times and I've never been to Fantasmic. Tuesday, the 20th.. Magic Kingdom until around 6:00. Then head to Trails End Buffet for a 6:45 ADR. Close out the evening at Epcot. Wednesday, the 21st.. Request a late checkout. Head to Animal Kingdom which as EMH and stay until around lunch. Head back to the room, shower and get in more relaxed clothes so that we can start out trek back home. DH thinks we can make it back home without stopping to sleep. I'm already suggesting us stay between Tallahassee and Pensacola and get up the next morning to finish our journey.

I think this sounds like a good enough plan. What about y'all? I would've rather flown but the airline tickets would've been $200 less than our whole trip. No thank you!!!

We will be at DHS the same day. We are also coming from Texas but the Dallas area. We are flying on this trip but drove the last trip. It's a pretty easy drive. Should be shorter from where you are. Takes us 18-20 hours from here and we go straight through. Good luck and maybe we will run into you at the parks.

 

[Loreli]

QOTD Calling Everybody! -lurkers too- Check in with your days left and excitement level or

 

[sktjcox]

QOTD Calling Everybody! -lurkers too- Check in with your days left and excitement level or

I'm definitely a lurker, but had to respond!!! 56 days and can't wait!!! Summer starts for my kids this Friday on the last day of school, and while we don't want the summer to end all of us our counting the days until we' re back in the magic bubble!!!!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[DisMom1981]

QOTD Calling Everybody! -lurkers too- Check in with your days left and excitement level or

51 days!!! I guess I can do online check in now if I can figure it out!!! I really needed this- I dropped and shattered my iPhone screen yesterday!!!

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[DisMom1981]

Can you check in on MDE or has to be on the website?

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[jdd]

I WISH!!! You have me confused with some other lucky person going club level . We just have a lowly garden view. I did request Samoa and a balcony....we'll see. I really don't care where I end up, so it's not a big deal for me if it doesn't work out.

Oh my gosh - so sorry! I was sure you were booked CL - have no idea where it came from though My brain is not functioning well this week at all You have such a nice long stay though - I'm very jealous!

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

QOTD Calling Everybody! -lurkers too- Check in with your days left and excitement level or

We have 51 days until we leave. Yikes!

I just paid the rest of our balance off this morning and will do online check-in soon (probably in a few days to give me something to look forward to)!

 

[jdd]

Tuesday, the 20th.. Magic Kingdom until around 6:00. Then head to Trails End Buffet for a 6:45 ADR.

Sounds like a fantastic plan! We'll be in MK on the 20th too, though that's our last day, and we'll need to leave by early afternoon . Hoping to get into BOG for lunch that day!

 

[jdd]

QOTD Calling Everybody! -lurkers too- Check in with your days left and excitement level or

48 days and excitement level is high :
Still feel like there's a lot to do - have to organize packing lists and do some shopping. And I still don't have detailed plans for a couple of our days. Hmmm, should make the summer go by fast!

 

[B's Marie]

Bleh. The exchange rate isn't as good right now as it has been for my last few trips. I was charged an extra $44 to make a $600 payment on my card. I still have $1300 to pay so another $88 or so. Somehow I forgot to figure this in to my trip totals. It's not a huge deal, and could absolutely be worse, but it's kind of annoying.

Last summer when my husband and I were in Canada we had the same situation (just reversed stronger dollar)... it is tough when the exchange rate is not in our favor!!

QOTD Calling Everybody! -lurkers too- Check in with your days left and excitement level or

53 days woohoo!!

 

[maddiebee]

53 days here too! And we finally just paid everything off!!

 

[Mrs. M. Mouse]

QOTD Calling Everybody! -lurkers too- Check in with your days left and excitement level or

51 days from today!!! Excited can't describe it!!! Can't wait!!!

 

[anjalee6]

QOTD Calling Everybody! -lurkers too- Check in with your days left and excitement level or

33 more days for us! getting very excited!

 

[ProudMomTo3Boys]

QOTD Calling Everybody! -lurkers too- Check in with your days left and excitement level or

41 DAYS

 

[Megs114]

50 days here!!! So excited!!!

 

[liball3]

39 days!!!!

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[Victoriasmom98]

QOTD Calling Everybody! -lurkers too- Check in with your days left and excitement level or

54 DAYS!!!! Very, very excited but still a little nervous about Maine's possible state shutdown (I work for the government)....Trip will be paid off tomorrow with an automatic withdrawal!! Yeah!!!

 

[Koh1977]

33 more days for us! getting very excited!

33 days til we hit the road and 36 until we're playing pirates at CBR!!