5/27/06 "Il pochi il fiero i blabbermouths" We *will* sail again Part 10

[RachelTori]

Laura,
That is what I am leaning towards doing since the goal is to cut costs, but Iwanted to make sure I was not crazy for giving up the free dining? It seems so wrong! LOL

There are times when the free dining would be hard to pass up. A Mommy with 4 young children at WDW isn't one of them!!! (trust me!!)

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Cool! Girl trip, early November 2007! This fall is a little busy.

Any other Moms that can take a Guilt Trip?

Hmm, what's the guilt part? Because we're going without kids? I've gone solo before and the funny thing is- not an ounce of guilt while I'm gone. Okay maybe when I'm on the PHONE with them but that's pretty much it- the rest of the time I'm like "oh me oh my I'm in heaven... no mouths to wipe, no picking up after other little people who are SO lazy, no back talking, no referreeing fights, no driving everyone to and fro, no nothing but fun!

Matter of fact- I think I'm about due for another trip like that. LOL The only problem is DH's hours are different now that he's on days instead of rotating shifts. Before I could go anytime I wanted- as long as I worked it around his schedule to when he was off and then going on midday shift where he could take kids to/from school and the youngest was in private preschool and such. NOW his hours are such that he couldn't take them to school nor pick them up! I'd have to find a babysitter for before and after school. And now he doesn't get 5-7 days off in a row, he's lucky to get weekends off sometimes. (Fri-Sun is overtime for him now though). wahhhhhhh I don't foresee any solo trips for me for awhile unless I find a babysitter. That's not likely to happen. We never have a babysitter to do anything without the kids either. Haven't for many years.

I'd join ya if I could! How's about a girl trip CRUISE with kids in the club/lab? Will that work? LOL
(as if I could talk DH into staying home while we went on a cruise without him. Not hardly! VERY easy to go to WDW without him as that's not really his thing- but a cruise.. forget it. He'd wanna go)

Amanda- if it were me, I'd stay with the original plan of POP and free dining plan and eat and eat and eat. Can you really feed all of you all those days for under $200 without a major cramp in your time, etc. to do so? Plus you weren't serious about eating ramon noodles every day were you? (although if you were serious- Robert would want to stow away with ya and probably consider that his dream vacation LOL) Can't you bank or rent your points? Did you just join DVC recently or something?

Ps. if you're taking Nathan- you're a better woman than I am. LOL I've gone with the kids by myself before- but the youngest was 4 at the time. (almost 5) When they're that young- dear husband HAS to come to help. LOL Yeah, he called himself "the pack mule" and the description fit him back then. LOL)

 

[tinksdad]

Mike the Mouse Matters on The DIS?

Sounds like another soap opera to me......

 

[itdjbw]

when r u going again??

We leave on September 1st but our tickets where booked for Aug31st

2 weeks cruising Alaska with a couple of days in Vancouver and I have not been there for 8 Years.
PLUS fun time with our friends!!!!

 

[dzneprincess]

So VWL just isn't for us. I'm very happy with my Boardwalk home, especially when I have a Boardwalk view!

UGH!!!!!!!!

 

[RachelTori]

Yes driving! See I am so used to being crammed at POP I forget that now I will ahve a mini fridge and a microwave at the studio right?

Is anyone going to be around during the 28th of Aug thru 09/04? I would love to meet up with

I'm going to miss you by a month I'll be at WDW 28th of September until October 5th - this is my annual "Ladies Only" for Food & Wine

 

[itdjbw]

I would stay at OKW with no dining plan. (waitlisted for BWV!) The dining plan is great if you want to eat ridiculous amounts of food, but with a little planning, you can eat economically. Have lots of healthy snacks on hand for in between meals.

Just my opinion, for whatever it's worth.....

Growning boys can eat a lot

 

[itdjbw]

Our problems at VWL were three fold. First it was a studio for only 2 nights after a cruise.

We check in no problem. Room isn't ready - no big deal - so we head to MK. Come back when we call and the room is ready. Go to the room. It is first floor. Not my favorite but ok. Open the door and someone is sitting on the bed. We think they were the party that checked out that day but left the patio door unlocked so they could get back in. Go into the lobby of the Villas and call the front desk. We were told we had to go back to the Lodge. Walked over and were treated like we were bothering the person to get a new room. Strike #1.

We get a new room - also first floor. Go in, no one is there, kind of dark for my tastes but ok. We unpack and Mark is trying to upload our pictures onto the TV. Needed video inputs. Called and asked if we could get a vcr for that. Was told no problem but no one ever came and when we called back much later was told we couldn't have one. Strike #2.

While Mark was calling the 2nd time I decided to go out on the patio and read (just like I do on a balcony or verandah on vacation). As i go to open the door a snake crosses the patio. Strike #3.

So VWL just isn't for us. I'm very happy with my Boardwalk home, especially when I have a Boardwalk view!

Not sure if I posted here but we had the same thing in May but at the disney resort not DVC, checked in got our room, Tarryn opened the door and there was peoples things, closed the door and called from the passage phone and had to go back to get another room, got to the new room and it was not made - it was a pig sty, the beds were unmade, wet towels on the floor, dirty carpets etc called check in again and they said some-one would be there with a new room key, 40 minutes later a cleaning lady arrived and said she was making the room for us, it was now 11pm so I went back to check in and got a new room - no apology from anyone there, didn't care less that they wasted our whole evening and my kids were exhausted!!!

 

[itdjbw]

Yes driving! See I am so used to being crammed at POP I forget that now I will ahve a mini fridge and a microwave at the studio right?

Is anyone going to be around during the 28th of Aug thru 09/04? I would love to meet up with

Sorry I was not thinking and for some reason forgot you would have a kitchen and not be in a hotel room!!!

 

[Dancind]

I am sure we could work out a weekend. I wish you were coming back at the end of July like you have previously. I have an annual Conference at WDW (This year is Contemporary) and we had so much fun with everyone who was there last summer.

Sorry, Sharon! Can't do DL and WDW within a single month! It was fun, though. We need to do all that again. One of these days, all these kids will be grown, you know?

 

[Dancind]

All this talk about the women's trip makes me start wondering.....when can the guys go away with the wives and kids?

That should stir the pot for a while!!!!

Please see my above comment about scuba trips. Alicia being along does not negate the guy-ness of the trips!

Oh, I get it. Jim wants to go on a trip with Jay!

 

[Dancind]

I'm sure it will cost you more than $200 to eat at disney for 4 of you, not like there is cheap there

I say stay with the original and save the points!!
you could rent them out fot 880. never done it but you could try!!

Sorry, I'd stick with OKW. Because I've stayed at a Value resort, and I'd much, much rather stay at OKW. It's nicer, quieter, two queen beds vs. doubles, and you don't have to stand in the aisle every single bus trip.

Did you waitlist a standard view at BWV, Amanda?

 

[Dancind]

Amanda -- if it was me and you wanted to conserve on eating out, I would stay at OKW, go with a 1 bedroom so you have a full kitchen and then buy what you need to eat in the room everyday. We usually try to have all of our breakfasts in the room, eat out at lunchtime, then have 3 or 4 meals in the room at dinner time. This has always saved us a lot of money. I did dining plan this year, just because it was available. Don't know how many times I will do that again.

We did it too, for the two nights we spent there before the cruise. Did some meal sharing, so managed to turn our two night sit down dinners into one night at CA Grill (two credits per person), and one at Les Chefs. All I can say is it's a lot of eating, and a lot of sit down dinners. Which could be difficult if it's just you and four kids. I know they are used to behaving in restaurants, but every night?

I'd say check the menus that are available on the internet, figure out what you would be likely to order at different places that you'd choose if you aren't on the dining plan, and decide if it's a good deal. I'm not that big on cooking while on vacation, but we do eat in some just to have a kick back/TV night a couple of times.

 

[Dancind]

Wow! I had no idea that my off the cuff idea would be such a hit! If you guys are in, I'm in.

Working from my bad memory, here are the heck yesses:

Me, Stacey, Amanda, Karen P., Laura

The maybes:

Monica, Sharon, Sandi

Tinytink, I don't know your real name. I'm so sorry, did I meet you on the cruise?

 

[RachelTori]

Wow! I had no idea that my off the cuff idea would be such a hit! If you guys are in, I'm in.

Working from my bad memory, here are the heck yesses:

Me, Stacey, Amanda, Karen P., Laura

The maybes:

Monica, Sharon, Sandi

Tinytink, I don't know your real name. I'm so sorry, did I meet you on the cruise?

Yep! I'm "in"!!

 

[chip&dale&fun]

Hi folks - a quick post to catch up before I start with more work (i used to be fun, what happened???)

Anyway - all this talk of going to WDW - we will be there soon for a weekend. No parks because our passes are not good...But we can take a break and relax at a hotel. Love those Fla rates and Disney Dining card.

Tried to book a scuba trip at the end of July....HAH - it is mini-lobster season...I never paid attention before. Not a good time to get good rates in the Keys....must go back to the drawing board and see about other times.

WE do have Ameila Island coming up .... and that is a conference so there is an added benefit of a free night if I get my paper completed on time.

All this talk of going to Epcot - Cannot wait until Food and Wine. We have one Party of the Senses Weekend picked...but we need at least 2 trips to satisfy all my tastebuds....could actually use 3 - truth be told...

Amanda - sorry I cannot help with the options...we are only 2 so we have much more flexibility. We take a coffee pot when we stay at Pop Century and don't eat breakfast so that is one meal saved. Course we spend the remaining savings on food and dare I say "beer"....so, not sure that is a good role model for the little ones. There were some good suggestions posted.

Thanks to Sam, the CD is in the mail. I have learned lots about sharing of photos for the do over cruise....

Gotta run.....more work to complete tonight and out of town again tomorrow....Think - "paying for cruise".....

Nightie night all....

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I'm going to miss you by a month I'll be at WDW 28th of September until October 5th - this is my annual "Ladies Only" for Food & Wine

We (me and kids) were about "this" close to being there exactly during your trip. But then I decided even though it was very hard to give up the free dining- that I just didn't want to go and spend so much (mostly on the flight for us four!) for such a short trip (we'd have to go 28th-2nd only, because of the kids school schedule). I would have had to buy 1 day tickets for us all for the dining plan plus longer (cheaper) 7 or 10 day tickets for 2 of us, plus the flight and ofcourse we'd want to do MNSSHP- it just all added up to over $2000 (closer to 3) and I said nah.... nevermind. LOL

I do hope they do the free dining next year too though- I'll probably want to go again then since we won't be going again (before the cruises) until June 2008. *fingers crossed*

 

[tinksdad]

Oh, I get it. Jim wants to go on a trip with Jay!

I can see the headlines now: "Boys gone wild in Vegas"!!!!

 

[dzneprincess]

Amanda- if it were me, I'd stay with the original plan of POP and free dining plan and eat and eat and eat. Can you really feed all of you all those days for under $200 without a major cramp in your time, etc. to do so? Plus you weren't serious about eating ramon noodles every day were you? (although if you were serious- Robert would want to stow away with ya and probably consider that his dream vacation LOL) Can't you bank or rent your points? Did you just join DVC recently or something?

Ps. if you're taking Nathan- you're a better woman than I am. LOL I've gone with the kids by myself before- but the youngest was 4 at the time. (almost 5) When they're that young- dear husband HAS to come to help. LOL Yeah, he called himself "the pack mule" and the description fit him back then. LOL)

No, what I was saying, not that we could eat for $200 during that time, but that it would save $200 by using points and dining plan as opposed to cash OOP and free dining at POP...And I was joking about the ramen noodles (unless your were going to send some money to the AMANDA WDW fund) but I was not joking about the toilet paper! it is gone!
Last year, I took all 4 kids by myself, ages 9 8 5 and 2. My Steve says he doesnt know how I do it. I just do. We are happy there. I would be with them alnoe here at home, so I would rather be with them alone at WDW!

 

[dzneprincess]

We leave on September 1st but our tickets where booked for Aug31st

2 weeks cruising Alaska with a couple of days in Vancouver and I have not been there for 8 Years.
PLUS fun time with our friends!!!!

Ahhh sounds lovely...when is the other cruse then? The one that is going to be 30 days I think?