4.33 years is WAY too long between visits!

[tyandskyesmom]

WOW, it feels like forever since I seriously pre-planned a trip! But I guess when you're used to going to Disney World at least once a year for at least 10 days at a time (with the last few times being closer to 14-16 days) 4 years and 4 months between visits IS forever!

A lot has changed for my family in the past 3 years...let me re-cap.

It used to be me, Lou, Tyler and Skyler. About 2 years ago Lou and I seperated...it was a long time coming and was a good thing for everyone. We both moved on and the kids are doing great. Me and the kids lived with my parents for a while and then things got rough (as they will I assume when there is too much family in too close of quarters for too long) and we moved out. We moved to a completely different town. A less affluent town where things in general cost less because people have less money. But the schools have been much better and offer more for the kids than where we were before...that's kind of weird, right? We also added my boyfriend, Cary, and his two kids. Money was tight, routines were very different, the kids had to make new friends, we had to get used to a new life. And we did. It was hard. Sometimes it still is. After moving in, Cary's oldest son decided he couldn't handle rules and life in a family so he moved back with his grandmother and that caused more change, but in a very good way. I had to grow up in ways I had not had to before. I had nothing to fall back on and while that was a scary place to be, it also is something I wish I had had to do a long time ago becasue maybe I wouldn't be here now! You live and learn, right?

So, all this being said, I am SO jonesing for a vacation to see the mouse. And I believe we can pull it off. But it will take a while. It will take discipline that I think I have developed. It will take saving...because this time, I refuse to charge it and pay it off later. It has to be paid in full before going.

So, I have just started getting back into watching the DIS and exploring what is going on in the World. SO much has changed and will still have changed by the time we get there! I feel so out of it...I used to be the local Disney World Guru around here.

I hope to use this pre-trip report as a place to figure out my qeustions and find out things I may not know or have forgotten...so if I sound like I am confused, I probably am...so HELP! ​

 

[tyandskyesmom]

Introductions are in order...

I'm Sherry...I'm 43 now...will be 45 by the time we go. I am a mom, step-mom, girlfriend, Insurance Collector for a Adventist Health Systems (who's corporate offices are just outside of Orlando and Florida Hospital is ours...guess who keeps an eye out for a new job opening!). My life has changed drastically in the last three years and I feel I have grown up a lot. I love to read, cheer on my kids, and anything Disney! I am the planner and the organizer of everything and everyone is ok with that. I tend to dream big and have to tame it down in reality.

Cary is 40 now...will turn 42 on the trip. He is a dad, step-dad, boyfriend, looking for a job as he is in a workmans' compensation injury from about 2 years ago. The company went bankrupt in the middle of his case so this is taking forever! He has not been to Disney World since he was 7...in fact he hasn't been much of anywhere. Right now, he is the stay-at-home dad and takes care of things while I am at work. He and Skyler are attached at the hip. He grew up with a very different, other-side-of-the-tracks mentality. When he met me and my family, he realized how different his life could be and has changed so much of his life for the better. He wants only for us to all be happy and does just about anything needed to make that happen.

Tyler is now 15...will turn 17 on the trip...the day after Cary, actually. I can't believe my baby is that old! He is now about 6 feet 1 inch tall and I don't like having to look up at him! Anyway, he is a sophomore now in all honors and AP classes. He plays football and is the defensive captain this year. His team is nothing to write home about but they all have a great attitude about it and appear to love playing the game. He is also waiting until football is over for Scholastic Bowl and then in the spring it's back to baseball (he took freshman year off). In the off season, he goes to the weight room everyday after school for two hours. He is looking forward to getting a job when he turns 16 in a couple of months and doesn't seem too concerned with taking Drivers Ed...I couldn't wait but apparently it's not a big issue for him. He is your typical teenaged boy...loves electronics, computers, video games, girls! He also can't wait for Disney again and is getting into Dr. Who a lot. He is anticipating becoming some sort of Engineer in the future. Right now he is thinking Architecture...but who knows by the time it's time to decide where he'll end up.

Dylan is now 14...will be 16 just before the vacation. He is in 8th grade and looking forward to high school. When I got them, he was very undisciplined and school was not something they worried about. Rules really didn't exist. Life for them was meager. We knew when we merged our two sets of lives there would be a lot of change on both sides but Dylan may have had the most. He went from a kid who did not care about much of anything except video games to a kid who gets all "A"s and "B"s in his classes and who is joining wrestling and the yearbook staff this year. He also applied to get into a STEM group for the district. Next year he hopes to play football too. Dylan loves My Little Pony (Bronys) and Dr. Who. He has never been to Disney World, or much of any place at all so this will be a whole new experience for him.

And last but not least, there's Skyler. She is 10 and will be 11 on the trip. She is the only one without a birthday in the last two months of the year. One time at 1900 Park Fare Tyler and I were celebrating our birthdays (it was my actual birthday) and the Mad Hatter asked her what she was celebrating. She said "nothing" and he said, "Oh yes you are...it's your very merry UNBIRTHDAY!" and he made the waitress bring her a crown and placemat too! We very rarely go around her birthday. So anyway, she is 10 going on 21. She is tiny still about 52.5 inches tall and about 52 pounds...tiny! She is in 5th grade and got into a magnet school down the street from our house this year. Next year she gets to go to Middle School and becasue of the magnet school, she gets to enter the Academy there. She is an avid dancer...ballet, lyrical, tap, jazz, hip-hop, pointe (as of this year), a technique class, and a competition team. She is hoping to compete a solo and/or duet this year also. She is helping to choreograph her school's fall musical. She is in her third year of dancing a production of The Nutcracker this year. She says she is going to put herself thought Med School by performing on Broadway...her dream is to play Galinda in Wicked someday. She used to be a gymnast also but had given it up at one point because of scheduling conflicts but we are looking at getting her back in the gym for tumbling. She loves Disney and can't wait to get back.

I'll add some pictures as soon as I am able...we are a bit technologically disadvantaged right now...

​

 

[tyandskyesmom]

So, we used to not have any problems with planning a trip...now I do.

Our most favorite time to go is around Thanksgiving. My kids have always gotten great grades so I never had a problem taking them out of school. But now, with Tyler having all honors and AP classes that is not so easy. Also, being the defensive captain of the football team and knowing that season is only so long, I don't want to pull him out during the season. Then there's The Nutcracker. Auditions are at the end of August, manditory rehearsals start in September, production is the second week in December. So Skyler cannot go during the fall season. Plus she misses three days of school for Nutcracker (they do field trip performances) so she really shouldn't miss many more on purpose. And next year, Dylan will be a freshman and there is a lot of adjustment during that year, plus he is hoping to play football too so there ya go!

Summer would work but I know there is most likely not any good offers during summer so it would most likely be more expensive plus we'd have to wait until 2016 then!!!!

The kids are all out of school for Christmas vacation on December 18, 2015. They won't go back until January 4, 2016. I have been at Christmas time (late November, early December, New Years day on) but never over Christmas. It would not be my ideal time to take newbees due to the crowds but I think we'll be ok...cause I'm a planner...and I'll make it ok!

Here's my current hope...
* December 18, 2015 thru January 3, 2016
* Port Orleans Riverside in an Alagator Bayau room
* 10 day hoppers with water park and more
* Deluxe Dining (hoping for free dining to upgrade from)
* Memory Maker
And depending on funds...
* a Christmas Party one night
* moving the last 2 nights (the un-packaged nights) to Art of Animation
family room (undecided in which section)
* bowling
* dinner and a Movie
* mini-golf
* upgrade to Annual Passes

I have not checked on flights at all but we always fly Southwest and they don't book this far out anyway. We usually take a 6am-ish flight out of Midway (although we no longer live 5 minutes away from there) and return on the latest flight back to Midway.

I am not planning on booking until after January 1, 2015 so I have some time to play around with things and plan before booking.​

 

[tyandskyesmom]

So I was looking around and had some questions arrise.

I know discount offers/free dining are never manditory and Disney can and does change what they offer and when and for what price. But I like to go in with all my bases covered so I don't have to freak out when my first choice of plans does not work out.

I noticed that this December, Port Orleans Riverside was not included in the free dining that came out.

Which prompted an e-mail to my on-line travel agent, Wendy. She confirmed that it was not included this year. But that that could change if free dining is announced for that time frame for next year. She also said that by that time Caribbean Beach should have renovated rooms that sleep 5 but that they are not currently available. I actually prefer Caribbean Beach to Port Orleans Riverside for everything except the boat to Downtown Disney.

So my options for sleeping 5 in order of cheapest to most expensive are...

1. Port Orleans Riverside
2. 2 value rooms connecting due to minors
3. All Star Music Family Suites
4. Art of Animation Family Suites
5. Fort Wilderness Cabin
6. Deluxe resorts of: Contemporary, Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Beach, Yacht Club or Boardwalk
7. 1 bedroom villas
And I assume Caribbean Beach would fit in there at #2 in the future.

I do like the idea of two value rooms but it is considerably more expensive.

There are so many variables between now and then and for options for the trip that I cannot wait to see what comes out next year!​

 

[tyandskyesmom]

So...

How do you do it?

Save money, that is...



We have learned to live without credit cards and without family to lend us money and without a lot of extras we really did not get our money's worth of...like cable TV. We don't have it. We do have Netflix for $8.99 per month. We eat on a tight budget. We plan meals for most days and the kids are not allowed to just walk in and grab whatever they want without asking. We don't drink pop at home. It's a treat when we're out, which we do very infrequently and when we do it is somewhere on the cheap end and we stick to a designated amount to spend. We shop at Plato's Closet and Once Upon A Child for most of our clothes. I budget gas for the one car we share ridgedly.

I do all of this so that when special things or things that are important to us come up, we can enjoy them...like Homecoming or field trips or parties or Halloween, etc...

And now, so we can save for vacation!

But is there anything you guys do that I am missing?​

 

[Disneychix]

Hi! Love to see you planning a new trip!

Maybe do a garage sale or sell on CL. Your kids are at the age where maybe transitioning from kid toys to more grown up things. Or your boys with the sports equiptment, can they re-sell?

Also, you do have 2 birthdays for most of you and Christmas this year, start buying those gift cards!

 

[tyandskyesmom]

Hi disneychix!

We do have a lot of junk and are planning a move early next year so maybe a garage sale will be in order!

And I have thought about the gift card thing for birthdays and Christmases...I don't know if the kids would be super receptive though...you know, they like that immediate gratification...I am still considering it though!​

 

[tyandskyesmom]

I cannot believe the day I just lived through!

My parents and I have not spoken in about a year and three months. We left their house on horrible terms with a lot of scary stuff being said. My kids did not want to see them nor would I allow it. If they went to see their father he was forbidden to let them see them (ya, he was still good with them!). But on Monday I got an e-mail from my mother asking if they could come see us because they had souviniers from their trip out west for the kids. I agreed to yesterday after the kids all got home.

Skyler and Cary went to Springfield, IL on a field trip with her class yesterday so they were not home until around 5:30pm.

Tyler had football practice after school and the bus does not get him home until around 6:15pm.

So Dylan and I were going to be home from about 3:30pm on. I, of course, wanted the house to look good and dinner to be cooking. In short, I was freaking out!

So first off, I am kind of a worry wort when my kids are on a field trip without me...and this was a big one! Then I am worried about how the visit with my parents was going to go.

I stopped at the Walgreens that is on the corner by Tyler's school for toilet paper. As I am getting to my car I hear a lot of voices...but that's not unuaual at 3:40pm as that corner is very busy with kids getting out of school and walking home and the football team getting to practice and cars at the busy intersection and the always busy Walgreens parking lot. So I looked around as I always do and it just seemed to be a lot of people all existing. So I go to turn to get into my car and I stop for some reason on two boys, maybe 14 or 15, standing almost directly across the street from me facing towards the side. They stopped and the littler one pulls out a gun and fires twice towards the football field parking lot...RIGHT WHERE ANYONE HEADING TO PRACTICE (not to mention it is just a busy part of the property) WOULD BE WALKING!!!! I don't think I have ever seen a gun actually fired in real life but especially in anger. The two boys turned and ran. No one but me seemed phased! There were cars all over, there was the soccer team (or that who I think they were) standing across the street watching, there were other people in the parking lot with me! So I drive off home which takes me past where they shot at and it did not look like anyone was hit. I don't have a cell phone so I could not call anyone before that so I called the police department when I got home...shaking! They called back minutes later and asked me to come in and make a statememt. I had never been to a police department before either and did not even know where ours was. But I got there...shaking...and gave my meager statement. I really did not know much. I told them what I saw. And now it was time to go home. Where my parents were due to arrive around 6pm...I got there at about 5:45pm.

So I am still shaking and now I have to straighten up the house and get dinner going and look all put together before they get there. See, part of our issues was that my parents did not think I could make decisions for myself and my kids best interest. I thought I could and I thought I should be able to whether they ended up being the best or not as I am the mother...they are the grandparents and had their chance to be parents. Now it was my turn. So, the shots I just witnessed were not something I was willing to share with them.

Well, they got there. They had some things for the kids and some of the things we left at their house (we left the last time thinking we'd be able to get back fo rmore things but ended up not able to do that). They stayed a while and talked with the kids mostly and me a little and Cary a little. My dad made a heartfelt appology for the things that were said. My mom, not so much but she can hold a mean grudge...civil might be all I could expect from her. And they left about an hour and a half later...the house still standing and no one in tears and no police outside my house. Maybe we can mend this thing after all...we'll see.

So we had dinner and watched Netflix for a little bit, closed down the house for the night, and went to bed...where I couldn't sleep! Too much running through my head I guess...and to top it off I had something else I have NEVER had before...CARY ASKED IF I HAD DONE ANY MORE PLANNING FOR VACATION!!!! Someone else in my house who actually realized how much I like to talk about my happy place and is at least interested enough to bring it up when I really needed my happy place for a bit!

But boy am I glad yesterday is over!​

 

[tyandskyesmom]

Found out yesterday that Dylan got accepted to the STEM program he applied to. There were 15 spots for the whole district and his Science/Homeroom teacher really pulled for him to get accepted. This is a kid who went from not giving a care about school at all to being an active participant in it!

Also, on the parent front. I am very leary of the motive and sincerity of the truce being called, especially from my mother. Cary told me a little bit ago that he and my father talked and he was told all kinds of things about wanting to make things right, etc. So, while they were there he handed Skyler and Tyler a fifty dollar bill each. Now, Dylan wasn't expecting anything and he has gotten things from his grandmother when they did not get anything but still, it stings a bit to have it right there. Well, after getting off the phone with Cary I had a voice mail. I retrieved it and it was my father asking me to call him back. Well, I did. He said on the way home my mother reminded him that he was rude (ya, she probably said it just like that!). She meant he was rude becasue he only gave money to two of the three children there at the time. So he was appologizing for that and letting me know he was going to give Dylan some the next time he sees him...that he just has to get used to having three grandkids here not two.

And...Cary has a job interview on Friday!!!!!! Nothing huge but we don't need huge right now...we need anything. Getting back into the work force after being out of it for about two years is not very easy, especially in this ecomony. You're not very desirable as a new hire, at the age of 40, with a high school education and a laboring background. So it has been an uphill battle, especially once they ask why he has been out of work. No one wants to hire someone with an ongoing work comp case. UGH! So, anything to get some work history and some extra money into our house is great. We are breaking even with even a bit left over the way we are so anything he brings in is extra...which enables more saving for emergencies and luxuries that we have had to forgo for a bit...like planning a DIsney Vacation...and going on it knowing there will not be a huge bill waiting for you when you come home!​

 

[tyandskyesmom]

I just figured out that if everything goes the way it should with no extra days off for being sick or car trouble or playing hookey or whatever...I should have

28.745

days of PDO banked by my last check before vacation on 12-18-15.

I have already removed all holidays I expect to have to cover and Nutcracker for this year and next.

Now, my employer is good for planning a low census attack in the late winter, early spring so I may have to account for some more unexpected days here or there but I will need 11 for the trip and that will leave me with 17.745 days to play will if I need to!
​

 

[tyandskyesmom]

Alright...so it's been so long since I have been on Southwest's web site I just had to take a look...

Right now, going off of our dates but this year, we would have to extend to Monday January 5, 2016 (one extra night, oh darn... ) because prices for the 3rd are outrageous! But we could go for $1716.00 round trip...that's about $700 - $1000 more than I am used to. Yes, I know, we usually travelled with just the three of us and even when we all went, it was still only four ... and I was expecting that. I actually was hoping to see $99 fares but I realize that is probably a thing of the past unless you get in on a deal...and I have not been following airline trends so I have no idea if things work like they used to anymore. I am hoping for a $1000.00 flight cost...I know I am probably dreaming. And I know I am not a betting woman so I will probably grab the first decent fare I see.

BUT...

I checked milage from Joliet to Lake Buena Vista. It is 1170.15 miles (17 hours and 58 minutes). So that is a 300 miles per gallon tank being filled up approximately eight times at approximately $60.00 per tank for a total of $480.00 in gas. And that's just going on the cautious side of what I get on my car now.

BUT...

My car I am driving is not one I would put thru that journey. It is a 1999 Montero that is starting to show it's wear. It is the only car we have at the moment and I am not looking to get myself into car payments right now so when we are able a cheap used car is in our future. Now, of course, we could find a wonderful car that we would trust to go down there but I cannot count on it. So if I am going to truely price out the cost of driving, I have to price a rental car. So I checked and for this year for our dates I could get a Ford Edge for about $773.20. And while the kids are used to my car, this might be a long ride for driving in a smaller SUV rather than a mini-van type car where everyone has their own space.

That makes our total for driving $1253.20. If we drive straight through. If we do not stop anywhere or buy anything.

SO...

While I am not opposed to driving completely, it has it's merits, I would MUCH, MUCH, MUCH prefer to fly. Plus Cary has limited flying experience and Dylan has never flown so that would all be part of the great adventure. And we love to fly...we don't find airports boring or a pain in the butt...our vacation starts when we are at the airport.

SO...

What I need form you guys is some recent (like in the past three years) Southwest Airlines fare advise. Any changes that may have occurred or trends on when they release and when specials come out. And I then need to figure out if the convienence, experience, and fun of flying is worth the possible $462.80 difference in cost...and if I will be able to swing that difference.​

 

[HizMinnie2015]

Following along as you figure things out... my fiance and I are up near Schaumburg. We are getting married in August 2015 and the going to Disney for our honeymoon oct 24-31. Fiance's bday is oct 23rd lol...

 

[tyandskyesmom]

Hi there HizMinnie2015!!!!

I'm familiar with your neck of the woods!

Congrats on the future wedding and honeymoon! Are you pre-tripping? Skyler has mixed feelings on marriage and kids at the age of ten but the last time we were in The World, she wedding marched down the staircare at the Grand Floridian so I better start saving now!

We have been in The World in early October (actually when I was pregnant with Skyler, so 10ish years ago) and did a MNSSHP...it was really fun and since Halloween might be our favorite "holiday" it was great seeing it all decorated. I'd love to take us back there at that time (Ty would have been almost 5 so probably wouldn't really remember much and no one else but me has ever been there and outside the womb) but it is Nutcracker and football season so chances are until they are done with those things or are old enough to take it on themselves (which, Tyler being a man in training might never happen completely!) and Cary and I can go on an adult only trip, I think October and Haloween is out of the question.​

 

[Disneychix]

I know you don't want to use credit cards, and I don't even know if you alreadyhave one, but very often the SW CC gives out 50000 miles when you spend $2000 in the first 3 months. So if you can hit that $2000 spending (and pay it off right away) you can probably fly for free or almost free.

Something to look into.

I know, gone are the days of the $99 flights in my neck of the woods too. Now I'm happy when I see $119 each leg.

 

[HizMinnie2015]

We are not able to really look at flights yet for our trip, but am leaning towards united going and southwest coming home.. i just dread the drive from midway to home.

 

[tyandskyesmom]

I know you don't want to use credit cards, and I don't even know if you alreadyhave one, but very often the SW CC gives out 50000 miles when you spend $2000 in the first 3 months. So if you can hit that $2000 spending (and pay it off right away) you can probably fly for free or almost free.

Something to look into.

I know, gone are the days of the $99 flights in my neck of the woods too. Now I'm happy when I see $119 each leg.

Wow! That's a great incentive to get that card hu?

I have a very bad track record with credit cards befors my recent past and due to a problematic (monetarily) seperation/divorce and issues surrounding that, credit is not so good so while that (bring back a decent/good credit rating) is something we are working towards, I am not sure that SW is going to let me in on that great deal. Plus I while I understand the theory behind responsible credit card using, I don't know if I trust myself yet...working on that too!

Ya know, if we could only go back and correct our mistakes!​

 

[tyandskyesmom]

We are not able to really look at flights yet for our trip, but am leaning towards united going and southwest coming home.. i just dread the drive from midway to home.

It would take a huge deal to get me to change from Southwest for flights.

One trip, I got overzealous and wanted to book at about a year out. I was looking around other airline web sites and Delta had fares our and they were really good prices. The times were good and the only problem was a short stop and change of planes in Atlanta. We usually fly direct on Southwest but I did not see that as a problem as the layover was barely enough time to get to the next plane. So I booked it. In the next six months or so Delta changed our flights at least eight times! And while you are supposed to be notified of changes, I never was until I got nosey and needed a trip planning fix and went on the web site and viewed my flights. There were times where we were inside the time window that legally they have to allow between the connecting flights. One time my early morning flight went to an late night flight. And then one time I was put back to my initial flight leaving Midway and the connecting flight out of Atlanta was not until the late evening one. Ya, cause the reason I planned so far in advance was exactly so I could spend eight hours in Atlanta at the airport with two young children. NOT! SO finally while I had the Southwest web site up with my chosen flights available and ready to go I spoke to someone at Delta who finally refunded my money and I booked Southwest. And since, I have not found it worth my aggrevation to look elsewhere.

We have never had flights changed on us with Southwest. We have never had a delayed flight. We have almost always arrived on time or early. And I don't get charges for luggage!

So, like I said, even though we no longer live five minutes from Midway, and the ride home will be longer, unless someone else offers some spectacular deal on flights, I don't think I'd seriously consider another airline.

I had a good friend that used to work for United out near you (she recently moved to Alaska!)...I think their cost is way out of my price range though.​

 

[HizMinnie2015]

We are a good 45 minutes to an hour in chicago traffic from Midway. That means for a 6am flight there we have to get up a lil earlier to get to midway. My folks were going to take us down to o'hare and back, but I wouldn't ask them to do Midway as they are farther north than we are... I do like the idea of getting free checked luggage though, so that may be incentive enough. I'm glad we have plenty of time to check for fares and such before actually booking.

 

[HizMinnie2015]

and fyi... after looking pricing for the same trip between, united, American and southwest... its looking like it'll be somewhere around 850 RT for us no matter which airline we choose... ugh

 

[tyandskyesmom]

and fyi... after looking pricing for the same trip between, united, American and southwest... its looking like it'll be somewhere around 850 RT for us no matter which airline we choose... ugh

Fares are so high right now! Yikes!!!​