06/24/2006 - Special Western Cruise - Who Else!?

[musicgirl]

Yes, dh and I are in charge of the programs at 4 schools. Yipee!!! We are done with them. I like the programs, but I hate the set up and tear down!

Dan, have fun with your new dog.

I would love to be getting on the Magic on Sat. Maybe someday I can spend Christmas there.

Happy holidays to everyone!

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Dan, Congratulations on your new addition!

Lori I'm glad your programs are over and now you can focus on a relaxing Christmas vacation! I wish we were headed to Floriday too! Not to be this year. I have looked for good airfare but no luck. We might slip down to the lake for a couple days though. That is always relaxing!

Hope everyone has a great holiday,
Angie

 

[musicgirl]

ERRGH! Does anyone else use a Disney Visa? I have had nothing but frustration when it comes to this!!!

First, I had to fight for the reward $ for signing up. They didn't want to give it to be because someone there didn't punch in the code!!! 1 month later and 5 phone calls, I finally got them.

Today, I just got my bill and of course it is Sat. I had sent in a check for $1570 and they only credited my account for $15.70!!!! AHHHHHH!

Of course no one can help me until Mon. so I have to stew over this all weekend!!!

I'm trying to get enough reward $ to pay for our excursions and on board costs. I've been very weary about putting all monthly expenses on this. Luckily, I'm still on 0% interest right now so at least I won't have to fight to get that corrected!

I now have to call my bank-which is the same as the visa. Get confirmation that it went though as $1570. I'm not sure how I will have to send them the proof. Then, I have to call back Visa and talk to the people in the "special" department who don't work on the weekends. Supposedly, they take pictures of all the processed checks. So hopefully I won't have to jump through to many hoops.

Thanks for letting me vent. I only have about 40 hours to wait!

 

[dmensing]

Lori:

Did you get your payment issue resolved?

No Disney Visa here, sorry. What is the reward exchange on the Disney Visa (1 disney dollar = $X spending)? I remember looking at the Disney offer a while ago, but I didn't see the value in it, especially when you are tied to buying things directly through Disney.

I have had other reward cards with specific companies, such as the Hilton HHonors card, that would end up disappointing me. I would start accumulating points/rewards towards a specific reward only to have the program change mid-stream. Now I have a CapitalOne GoMiles card that allows redemptions towards free air travel. It isn't limited to one carrier. Even if they change the rules down the road, there is a cash back option equivalent to 1% that I would fall back on.

C'ya!
Dan.

 

[musicgirl]

Hey Dan,

Yes, it was resolved not a problem. I just wish I didn't have to wait!!! I am not a very patient person. I want things done now! And you ask how can I possibly wait for our cruise?? LOL

The way the rewards works is that you get $1 for every $100 you spend. You have to call to get a rewards card. Once you have it, you can tranfer your dollars to it, all or just some of your rewards. The credits are good for 5 years if you do not transfer. I believe once you transfer the credits, you have 1 year to use them.

You can use the credits ($"S) on board. So when I get close to the cruise, I will transfer them to a rewards card, then call DCL and transfer them to my on board account. It can be used for anything I purchase, even towards tips.

I am also hoping to get $50 for using my card to pay for the entire trip. You are also suppose to get 6 months no interest on DCL payments.

Of course, it only works if you pay everything off without interest.

I just started using it and I have $85 saved. Our neighbor (my personal DCL convert!) is also doing this. He uses his for everything he can. His trip is in Feb. I'll be interested to see how this goes for him.

Lorie

 

[musicgirl]

Just a gentle bump to the top!!!

We got buried with snow and ice just before Christmas. Lots and Lots of it. There were many trees that lost limbs because of the ice, at least it is pretty!!!

Lorie

 

[dmensing]

Happy New Year Everyone!

Lorie: I'm glad you got the snow and ice, and not us! It was really cold here, but luckily no snow. Lately it has been crazy warm..60+ degrees!

Well, we are back to looking forward to the 2006 cruise. Our intention was to do WDW again this Thanksgiving, but it wasn't meant to be. Oh well, just less $ we have to save now!

C'ya!
Dan.

 

[musicgirl]

I had such a nice dream last night about our cruise.

I was dreaming that we were already on the cruise!!!! I of course couldn't believe it. Part of it was spent in beautiful blue waters on a raft. And then DH and I were trying to decide on Palo ressies. It was about then that I realized it was just a dream.

At that point, I told myself that I was going to enjoy being on the cruise as long as I could even if I was dreaming. We then went to schedule our ressies realizing it was the 2nd day at sea already.

It just goes to show you that even dreaming of being on the Magic is a wonderful experience!!!!

Well, it is back to school tomorrow. I must say that I am ready. Working does make the time go by faster.

Now, where are all the people for our cruise? I've noticed that some of the other cruise meet dates in 2006 have a lot more posts on them!!! come on folks, let's going!!! We only have 535 days to go!!! In one month, we will be doing the 500 day dance!!!!

 

[musicgirl]

We need a gentle bump-we're too close to the end. Last time, ours "fell off the board' and we had to start over!!!!

Is anyone else having crazy weather? We have now had tons of rain, it is thundering!!!

I'm a little depressed. One of our parents is leaving Friday for the Magic!!! I wonder if I can fit in the luggage. I'm only 5'2"!!!!

See ya, Lorie

 

[dmensing]

Hi Lori!

You'll have to have your parents give a report on their trip. We have to live vicariously through them!

We've had a ton of rain too. The run of warm weather is coming to an end. I don't look forward to the cold, but on the other hand, it doesn't seem like winter and is depressing without some snow. We want to take the kids skiing in Feb. so we need some cold weather.

Keep warm everyone!
Dan.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Just stopping in to say "Hi" I've been tring to decide on a resort for our summer trip to the parks. I am thinking of POR. Has anyone stayed there? We are also thinking of an off site condo. I have never stayed off site but the extra room sounds nice. We'll see, hopefully some wonderful code will come out and I won't have much decision to make! DD 5 was asking yesterday when we were going on the cruise again, when I told her not this year we are going to the parks I think she was disappointed!

Deminsing I hope you enjoy the skiing, DH and DS are off next week to ski in Ohio? I like my water much warmer thank-you! DD and I will most likely head down to the lake that weekend and catch up on some outlet shopping!

Stay warm everyone,
Angie

 

[musicgirl]

Hi all, Just trying to stay warm here.

Angie,

We stayed at POR 2002. The rooms were very nice, it seemed like they were a little bigger than normal. The scenery is beautiful. There is a boat that stops right at POR and goes over to Downtown Disney. Plenty of pools, there is a fun pool with hot tubs and then quite a few "regular" pools scattered thoughout so you were always close to one no matter where your room was.

There was one one problem, it was big and we were in one of the back areas. I did get in a lot of walking!!! Beware of the fun looking bikes, it is a lot of hard work!!!

http://groups.msn.com/WhatIdidonMySummerVacation/portorleansriverside.msnw?albumlist=2

Here are some pictures. This was on our land/sea vacation.

Just wondering where they are headed to to ski? I'm from Ohio and growing up I lived in the snow belt Painesville/Chardon. We still go past the ski places everytime we travel back. My sister is also right down the road from a ski place in Chesterland. There is also some skiing in Mansfield, this is the one our school's ski club goes to.

 

[musicgirl]

Yahoo, just had to share SNOW DAY!!!!!!!!

 

[dmensing]

Hi Angie, Hi Lori!

Lori, we got the snow, but luckily not enough or fast enough to affect schools! My daughter was bummed, but my son was fine. He knows that every day missed now bumps out Summer vacation.

Angie, I am curious about what ski area too. We used to go to Mansfield for our high school ski club. Thinking back at what we used to do, I'm amazed someone wasn't permanently disfigured!

The local radio station was running a contest to win a trip on the 14 day repo cruise on 5/14, but no luck! I guess I have to wait until 2006.

C'ya!
Dan.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

DS says they are going to Galena Il. Shows how much I pay attention when I'm not the one going! The 2 of them ski every winter, but I want no part of it! And, Please let's not even get the Momma thinking about disfigurement!

Thanks for the pics of POR. I am considering it or Swan. Definiately Swan if no codes come out as they are about the same price with the teacher or entertainment discount. The Swan is my favorite but if we can get one of those great e-mails it will likely be POR for us this summer. DS is about to have a heart attack just thinking of off-site! My kids are sooooo spoiled!

Happy Thursday all!

 

[musicgirl]

We still have 4 "emergency" days left before we have to start making them up. So I'm cheering for more. There's just something about a snow day. We're suppose to get more tonight and then a big one over the weekend.

Angie your 2 should have a great time, there's plenty of snow.

A friend who we are trying to convince to come on this cruise is on his first one, but it is on Carnival. He really didn't want to cruise with us (and hopefully the mutual family that may get to go) because he had never cruised. I just hope that his experience on the Carnival will be positive, it is one of their older ships and had very mixed reviews.

We toyed with the thought of fitting in a "cheap" cruise with another line. I know that's horrifying, but we can not slip in a DCL cruise any sooner, especially since it will be out west next summer.

Dan, too bad about that cruise. That would have been a real treat!!!

 

[musicgirl]

Hey everyone, just bumping us up, we were on the bottom of the 3rd page!!!! Will this stay up until after our cruise even if we get to the bottom of the last page? On our last one, when this board first came up, ours was lost. Hopefully that doesn't happen anymore.

Love the new smilies, they have probably been there for awhile, but I just noticed!

When is everyone going to start booking their hotels? I was just browsing the other day and noticed that The Inn at Cocoa Beach currently has 3 nights for the price of 2. Reg. $135 per night. Has anyone else stayed here?



Just some of the new ones. The hourglass seems very appropriate!!!

 

[bairdbeth]

Iced in and dreaming of CC! Looked through our pictures from our last cruise. I don't know if I can wait! At least we have a trip to WDW planned at the end of May!

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Hi everyone! I booked our rooms at Pop Century for June 4 - 12 this summer. But not ready to think about 06 yet! 3 for 2 sounds like a good deal too.

I just talked to DH and they are having a great time skiing. They were going to have dinner and then back out for some night skiing. DD and I decided it was too cold and snowy to head to the lake so we are just hanging out tonight watching movies. I too have been dreaming of CC and Disneyworld!

 

[dmensing]

Lori:

I was going to book something a year out from the cruise. We were interested in Ron Jon Resort. When I called them they said they accept rental reservations a year in advance. I don't know if other places can book further out.

That banana smiley is having a little bit too much fun! To quote "When Harry Met Sally", "I want what she is having"!

Thanks,
Dan.