1 crazy family+2 resorts+5 parks+1 snake+1 surprise=A Mickeystoontown report 4/3x2

[Caretames1]

Lisa, I swear I stopped by here when you first start this TR but I can't find a post saying I'm in, so

I'm HERE!!!

It's time for me to catch up, I'm doing better and ready to be immersed in Disney!

Beautiful family pic on your intro page! I can't wait to go along with ya'll! You always make me laugh.

Your resort changing made me dizzy! Give it up and just stay at CBR!

I'm actually looking forward to hearing how your Mom did this time. My Grandma is coming along with us in Nov. She's 85, and has asthma, she says she feels good, and walks every day, but I'm still talking with her about renting a scooter. I really don't think she'll do well without it all day.

 

[Caretames1]

YAY, you've arrived at Disney!!

BOO for the sourpuss front desk CM!

LOL at how small the resort is!

How did you enjoy the boat ride to DTD? That is one of my favorite things about POR. I dream about just floating on down the river with the jazzy music playing and seeing the scenery.

!

Now this is what I expect from you!

 

[Caretames1]

You got to tour AoA! I really loved staying there, (well the walk back to LM section wasn't my favorite part) but everything else was awesome! We felt so immersed in the Cars section, like we were in the movie!

 

[Caretames1]

I had hoped to get an installment posted yesterday but all the sudden the bottom fell out and it was crazy busy! I was just looking at my pictures on Photobucket and it looks like I'm missing some. Thank goodness, I still have my memory cards in my purse so I can search for them and upload them to Photobucket. I'll start doing that on my lunch hour.

John didn't want us to get him anything for Father's Day since we're going to buy a new truck for him soon. But, I couldn't let Father's Day go by and not do something. Hunter and I worked on a "project" Saturday night and this was what we ended up with:

That's so sweet! A coworker retired this year, and another coworker made her a sign similar to this. It was well received!



CBR, HOME! I'ts always nice to be "home"!

 

[Caretames1]

Congrats on your TR being #8!It should be #1!

How nice that next year Jesse's parents will be join you all! I'm sure everyone will have a great time.



Seaworld was nice, not something I'd do all the time, but We loved the Otter and Seal show, very funny, and Believe was awesome!


And I'm caught up here!!

 

[mickeystoontown]

Good morning! Thank goodness, it's Friday! I don't know that I could stand another day sittin' at this desk.

We're still and (okay so that hammer is whacking on a computer and we're not but we are using a hammer) at home every evening. The remodel is coming along nicely and we're loving the results and new look. Next up on the remodel list is our living room and all the way down the hallway. This is what we dreaded the most because it's big and, well, it's our living room and where we congregate the most. It's also the room with the most furniture so it'll be a hassle covering it all up and working around it. Oh well, it is what it is.

Lacey and Jesse are planning on visiting us next weekend! We're super excited that they are coming and they are super excited too. We get to see them two or three times a year but Lacey only gets to come home once a year and you know that she gets homesick every once in a while.

Our goal is to get the living room and hallway sanded, wiped down, painted (twice), take down, cut to fit and replace the moulding and baseboard and get everything cleaned up before they arrive in the wee hours of the morning on Saturday. Might not be that hard to do if we didn't have to work 40 hours a week, cook, clean and eat.

Oh and I have to clean out the extra bedroom so they'll have a place to sleep. Right now, you can barely fit inside of it because we are storing everything in there while we are working.

As I posted earlier, we received two free nights' accommodations compliments of Disney and I'm trying to figure out whether or not to add those two free nights to beginning or end of the trip. My initial thought was to add them to the beginning of the trip but when I spoke with the Executive at Caribbean Beach, she suggested adding them at the end so I would have access to the dining plan and park tickets at the beginning of our trip. I asked my Facebook friends and they also thought it would be best to add the day to the end.

But, ya'll know me, I am going to squeeze every penny until it squeaks and I want the best deal possible. So:

I took pencil to paper and it looks like adding the free days to the end of the trip will actually end up costing us more than if we added them to the beginning of the trip. Lacey and Jesse and his parents will, more than likely, be joining us the last week of our two week vacation.

Using the free nights at the end of the trip scenario: The plan was for all of us to eat dinner together several nights while they were there. It's our tradition to have our last dinner at the Crystal Palace which is $40 a person. I'm not willing to break our tradition. Just that dinner would be $120 for the three of us. If we were to all eat together on the next to the last night, we would probably eat dinner at Via Napoli which wouldn't be quite as expensive as Crystal Palace but I like to overestimate so I'm saying probably $100.00. I'd also have to throw in two counter service meals for three people. Even more money.

Using the two free nights at the beginning of the trip scenario: We arrive late in the day because we drive so we usually just pay out of pocket for our counter service dinner at Caribbean Beach anyway. Since we wouldn't have our park passes yet, we could get the room organized, swim, go to Downtown Disney or whatever. Lunch would be out of pocket counter service and dinner would be a table service out of pocket. So, essentially, two counter service meals and one table service meal out of pocket.

End of trip: Two out of pocket counter service meals for three people and two out of pocket table service meals for three people. But, we have access to the parks on Day 1.

Beginning of trip: Two out of pocket counter service meals for three people and one out of pocket table service meal for three people. No access to the parks on Day 1.

I swore that I would never just sit around on our first day again after we did it this past trip. But, that was based on us having to also switch from French Quarter to Caribbean Beach too. This time, we'd be at the same resort. Not wasting hours and hours of going to and from.

Something else that I thought of: The two free nights are for water view rooms. We always book standard. If the two free nights were in a water view but our package was standard, would we have to change rooms? Would it be better to keep the free water view room, show the reservation as continuing and hope that Disney lets us keep the water view room the whole time even though the package is a standard room? Or do I tell them that we want the free nights in a standard room and pretty much know that we won't have to change rooms? I've heard from a travel agent friend that her clients have booked different room categories before and never had to change despite that fact.

Who knew that two free nights would cause such confusion? LOL!

What do my Disney loving friends think?

 

[reelmom]

I don't know what to tell you. Why are Disney decisions so hard? We just booked a a short trip for October and I am having so many doubts. First of all, I can't believe we are going. My husband and I were talking the other day about the kids having two days off from school(Friday and Monday) for Columbus day. He was talking about doing local stuff and I suggested Disney since I am always talking about doing Disney stuff. I thought it would go over like it always does, no to Disney. Imagine my surprise when he said," ok, book it". I had my computer up and running so fast before he could change his mind. We booked POP for 5 nights with 4 day park hoppers. Now I am trying to decide whether or not to book MNSSHP. I keep thinking I am trying to cram too much in for such a short trip.

 

[KatMark]

I think I'm confused.

I would take the two free nights with a waterview and hope that they just keep you in the same room. My fear, though, is if they are starting their rehab next year and others have booked waterview and paid for it, they may have to move you.

 

[ronnmel]

My instinct would be to take the free nights at the beginning. As you said, you travel and arrive late on the first day, so no need for a park ticket. And phone agents might tell you otherwise, but unless it's changed you can always pick up your park tickets up to 3 days before your package starts. So you could still go to a park on Day 2. You'd just have to pay OOP for your meals, but no biggie,just choose the cheapest ones for that day.

As for the water view vs standard, bonus if they let you keep it. If they don't, I'd much rather switch rooms early in the trip than 2 days before I have to leave.

 

[melnbil]

Hi! Haven't been on in a while. Finished your security trip and caught up with you in Sea World. I love your trips. I hope we get back again next year. I too think you should take the days in the beginning. If they keep you in the same room, bonus, If not, like previously said, I would rather move before I get spread out and comfy than two days before I leave. And you can't break tradition!!

 

[PhoenixStrength]

When I see you put it like that I'd do it at the beginning too, and hope you get to keep the waterview! Even if they make you move at least you are just moving within the resort so it won't be as bad as changing resorts. And as Mel said, you can pick up your package pack tickets early so you will be fine.

Good luck getting the living room and hallway done! And for Lacey and Jesse coming to visit!!!

 

[micandminforever]

I also vote the two free rooms at the beginning of the trip. I think the moving would be easier, plus you might not have to change at all.

 

[HiHoOffWeGo]

Does Mama get the two nights too?

The beginning sounds best.

 

[cmaee]

Disney decisions can be so hard...and throw Disney math on top of it and it can be downright difficult to make a decision. I think I would go with the two nights at the beginning too....for all the same reasons others have said.

 

[Tiggerrn2]

I vote for the days at the beginning and hope for the best with not having to move. You don't go at the really busy summer time, so there is a good chance you won't have to move. And it's really easy to wipe out half a day without a park visit. After last summer's no parks at all visit, I know how much other stuff there is to do. Head over to the Boardwalk around 5pm. All sorts of free entertainment, and you can get a pizza for a fairly decent price right there on the Boardwalk for dinner or go to the little stand on the water side for sandwiches/corn dogs (aka fair food). It's cheap and a great way to spend the evening. Big River Grille also is a great place to eat. They don't take ADRs, so if you get there at opening you will have no problem finding a table indoors. Burgers are HUGE!

 

[JanaJohn]

Who knew that two free nights would cause such confusion? LOL!

Happy to read you're getting 2 free nights. Yet sad to think about what might have happened that caused them to give them to you.

I won't begin to offer any advice as to when to take them since I'm sure you've got everything under control.

As to the "confusion" this is causing this is one time where you're happy to have some confusion!

BTW, what day of your vacation are we currently on? I think it's still early on but somehow lost track. I'm hoping you have a whole lot more adventures to tell us about.

 

[jenseib]

Finally caught up. I hope Hunter and Momma do get to go on Flights of Wonder later in the trip.
You dinner looks pretty darn good at HOB
So are you still considering the cruise for next year or is that out now?
I would do the free rooms at the beginning too. You know you can pick your tickets up 3 days early, right?
You could do CS the first day, and pay out of pocket the next day or 2, even skipping a Table service in that time and doing some different CS you don't normally do. Or one of the cheaper Table services.

 

[Caretames1]

What Jen ^^ said!

 

[Kathy Jetson]

I just spent the last couple hours catching up!

Woo Hoooo for being in the top 10!

Yeah for Lacey and Jesse going with you again!! It looks like this is going to be a tradition. and yeah for Jesse's parents coming too. I don't remember if you said but have they been before?

I can't wait to hear about your Sea World adventures.

 

[rndmr2]

Looks like your Sea World day is off to a great start! I have been there a few times but not since 2004. I always liked to see the stingrays, they are so cool.

The Turtle show sounds neat, too. You got some great pics of them, I guess that was a pre-show area?

Can't wait for more!