395 days of planning all lead up to this! Sept/Oct 2012

[HeatherLassell]

Thank you! I had planned to go at the end of October and into the beginning of November but now I think we might change it to the end of September early October. The free dining makes it worth it to change the dates.

About the moderate resorts, have you looked into the Coronado Springs resort? I know it puts some people off being a convention resort but we went in June (peak season) and honestly we didnt even notice the conventioners. They also have a really great pool (its a mayan pyramid!) where they play pool games during the day and they have a slide as well.

It sure helps. I think I saved about $1200 in food (for 11 days, 4 people) and I get an extra night/day in Disney! You should look into it.

I have looked at them all! lol I think for now we're just gonna stick with POP. And then once the package is closer to paid off (which IF that is in 3 months) then I'll see how much $ I still have to play with. This is our first and could be ONLY family vacation for a while so I'm gonna make it a gooder!

 

[HeatherLassell]

If I could stay at any resort....hmmmmm....it's a toss up between the Animal Kingdom Lodge or the Poly! Both look so amazing! And the $$$ make me fall off my chair!

 

[oopsiDAISY]

Hi Heather! Subbing...

My family took our first WDW trip this past March and I am soooo ready to go back. Last night I started "the talks" with DH about going next October, so we shall see. If we do, we plan to surprise the kids this time.

I have read your PTR all the way through and look forward to tracking your "journey to the World". Hopefully, *fingers crossed*, I will join you in the planning process after we get our January tax return!

 

[HeatherLassell]

Hi Heather! Subbing...

My family took our first WDW trip this past March and I am soooo ready to go back. Last night I started "the talks" with DH about going next October, so we shall see. If we do, we plan to surprise the kids this time.

I have read your PTR all the way through and look forward to tracking your "journey to the World". Hopefully, *fingers crossed*, I will join you in the planning process after we get our January tax return!

Yay! I just absolutely can't wait to take my kids....*grin*....even though we still have a year....I've already started thinking about the 2nd trip!! haha Maybe showing them Disneyland the next time. I gotta squeeze in a few trips before my oldest is a grown man out on his own! OMG he turns 14 in less than 2 weeks!

Well thank you so much for joining! I'm having a blast planning this trip and pixie dust that you get to join in on planning for next October too!!!

 

[HeatherLassell]

Should be putting $600 on my package tomorrow! My first big payment!

 

[HeatherLassell]

Looking at renting a car from the Alamo Car Centre on Disney property. Cause I really like the idea of taking ME to the resort. Especially for the kids to see the cute video on the bus. Thought it would be really cool to rent a convertable. lol It was about $900 for the entire trip. Would be pretty cool though! Guess we'll wait till closer anyways cause there is gotta be some sort of deals or discounts.

 

[HeatherLassell]

YAY! $600 payment made!!!

So now since I booked my trip only a month ago we're $800 down!

I owe $2415 now (lol right back where I was before I added the extra day and upgraded my free dining to table service! )

 

[HeatherLassell]

I just picked up some Disney nail art! End up with like 150 in the 6 packages.

So cute!

 

[gallmcduck]

We just have so much choice chopping and changing is a must Thats all part of the fun dining.

Had a very similar dilema on upgrading our last trip, it actually ended up being cheaper to go to a moderate with free dining, we stayed at POR, the quite pools worked out good for us with a small child, got her back down from crazy after a funfilled park day.

 

[HeatherLassell]

We just have so much choice chopping and changing is a must Thats all part of the fun dining.

Had a very similar dilema on upgrading our last trip, it actually ended up being cheaper to go to a moderate with free dining, we stayed at POR, the quite pools worked out good for us with a small child, got her back down from crazy after a funfilled park day.

I've priced a few moderates and even though I paid to go an extra night and to upgrade the dining it's still cheaper than moving to a moderate. If I move up I will owe a few hundred to a thousand more than I'm paying at POP. I'm just gonna wait and see. lol If my ex actually starts paying his court ordered child support I may have some extra money to play with for the trip. I really want to stay at the AOA family suites. But that's like $1500 MORE....i could stay somewhere really nice for that kind of money!

 

[HeatherLassell]

My dates are September 29 - October 10, 2012

Currently booked at POP Century with free dining. I paid the extra to upgrade to table service. 8 days park hopper tickets.

Total Price $3215

Now pricing other resorts (without adding in the dining because it would be free):

Port Orleans Riverside-Garden View $3689 (so extra $600)
Port Orleans French Quarter-Garden View $3689 (also extra $600)
Coronado Springs-Standard View $3627 (same)
Caribbean Beach-Standard View $3565 (almost $600 more)

Now the AOA suites would be $4868 PLUS the extra to upgrade from QS to TS for my free dining! lol Unfortunately I don't think that's gonna happen!

Animal Kingdom Lodge would be like $6100! lol I think it's safe to say that's probably out of the realm of possibility! 12 days is just too expensive. I could afford to do a Deluxe if it was a 6 or 7 day trip but not 12.

But then maybe I'll just hope for some pixie dust. lol

 

[oopsiDAISY]

I just picked up some Disney nail art! End up with like 150 in the 6 packages.

So cute!

OOOOH~ Love it!!! Where did you get the nail art????

 

[HeatherLassell]

OOOOH~ Love it!!! Where did you get the nail art????

Ebay! And the seller still had some left. I just did the buy it now.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lot-6-Sheet...&otn=3&po=LVI&ps=63&clkid=3335799350648099906

 

[HeatherLassell]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GO JETS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!

First NHL season game for the Winnipeg Jets!!!

I'm so excited!

OMG they had me crying! They did a salute to a player who had passed away in August. They had his mother come out and drop the puck for the ceremonial puck drop. I cried through the whole thing!


ALSO, did I tell you guys I'm now a HOCKEY MOM???? I'm so freaking excited! My 8 year old Braden starts hockey next Sunday at 8am! (AM? Sunday? Ugh! lol)

 

[HeatherLassell]

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!!!

 

[Enchanted88]

Hey there!! I haven't been on in a while, so I just though I'd say hello!!!

I'm going back to read your updates now!! But it looks like you've been a busy planner! haha

Hope you have a great weekend!

 

[jenny105]

I love the nail art! That's so cute. I may have to pick that up before my trip. Bling out my toe nails or something

 

[HeatherLassell]

Hey there!! I haven't been on in a while, so I just though I'd say hello!!!

I'm going back to read your updates now!! But it looks like you've been a busy planner! haha

Hope you have a great weekend!

Thank you!!

I totally have my Passporter everywhere I go. lol It's a big book so I learn something new everyday! Hope you have a good weekend too!

 

[HeatherLassell]

I love the nail art! That's so cute. I may have to pick that up before my trip. Bling out my toe nails or something

Thanks! That's what we're planning to do....our toes! lol And maybe our thumbs. I bite my nails so they are pretty short but luckily my daughter hasn't picked up that gross habit. I hope she doesn't. I try to quit doing it alot. I've made progress but my hands always look like a boys. lol

 

[jenny105]

Thanks! That's what we're planning to do....our toes! lol And maybe our thumbs. I bite my nails so they are pretty short but luckily my daughter hasn't picked up that gross habit. I hope she doesn't. I try to quit doing it alot. I've made progress but my hands always look like a boys. lol

I used to bite my nails all the time but I broke that habit a couple years ago. Everytime I feel the urge to bite them, I clip them. This is why I will never have long nails. I use the Sally Hansen nail polish sticker strips to make them look pretty!