A Rolex Vacation on a Timex Budget: Sept '11 PTR (TR is Live!)

[Cinderumbrella]

Hi!

I'm here from the YC/BC FAQ too! What a great start (and I LOVE the title )

 

[jenneth79]

BTW - are all the pictures actually displaying? I think I had a problem earlier because one of my albums was marked private.... whoops!

 

[jenneth79]

Hi...another Y&BC'er here!! I decided to check out your PTR. The above cracked me up...maybe because it's similar to me. My husband handles all the finances (well all the saving investments, etc)...and I really try to be interested when he talks to me about it. I, on the other hand, pay the bills!!

Hi Kerry! Thanks for checking this out! That's pretty much the same setup Mike and I have. He makes sure we have enough money put away for a rainy day, pays the mortgage, and I pay all the household bills and buy groceries. Plus, he has his watches! (he swears they are an investment....)

I remember when you posted on the Y&BC thread about losing your father. I haven't mentioned it on that thread, but I sadly lost my father last November...and I can totally relate. Though we weren't frequent visitors to WDW, we've had our annual Presidents weekend trips to the Poconos. They were his favorite times with the entire family (and mine too!).

I'm sorry for your loss. I've found that returning to the places (or music, food, books, movies, whatever) that we shared with those we lost... well, it just helps, somehow. I'm not at the point where I can do that without crying, but at the same time, it does bring a smile to my face as well. I know he would be glad he influenced me that way. I hope you were able to go back to the Poconos this past Presidents day.

Hi Jen, I followed you over from my PTR and have loved reading your plans so far! Love the Rolex story and how your DH was hooked when alcohol was bought into the equation!

Love the pics of the two of you and I'm sorry to hear about your dad - am glad you have so many happy memories of previous Disney World trips

on booking your ADRs - they sound great! Look forward to hearing about V&A.

My vote would go for the custom cake but then I do like any kind of sweet dessert! Good luck with the degree

Thanks for coming over here and checking it out! Recently on the YC/BC thread they brought up Grey Goose Slushies....now it's not just the DH who is excited about the drinking options!

You would think we were quite the lushes. I swear, I don't drink that often!

Thanks on the wishes about the degree. I just finished a two hour lecture I had to give for my humanities class on the genocide in Cambodia. It was a ton of work, but I think I did well enough. I find out on Wednesday!

Hi!

I'm here from the YC/BC FAQ too! What a great start (and I LOVE the title )

Thank you! I'm so glad you're here! I came up with the title jokingly, but now it's turning out to be true to life! (more to come.... there is an actual Rolex involved....)

 

[natebenma]

BTW - are all the pictures actually displaying? I think I had a problem earlier because one of my albums was marked private.... whoops!

Pictures are back again. They disappeared for a bit yesterday, but I think it was more of a system-wide DIS-issue. Other people's signature pictures and such were gone as well.

 

[ccstrickler]

Glad to see him wearing 44-there's only one Riggo! I even have "Hail to the Redskins" as my ringtone. ENJOY your trip!!!

 

[jenneth79]

Glad to see him wearing 44-there's only one Riggo! I even have "Hail to the Redskins" as my ringtone. ENJOY your trip!!!

I've been searching for one of the authentic Riggins jerseys, but they are a pain in the you know what to find!

 

[jenneth79]

So, we picked out our resort, the Yacht Club. Then came the discussion on Club Level. Once again, I went to the BC/YC thread and did some research! Now, I’ve read a lot of opinions from people saying that it’s not really worth it if you have a dining plan (my experience with that is detailed earlier in this thread) or enjoy planning your own vacations.

Here is where I make my argument for club level rooms. While it is true you don’t save any money at all by doing the dining plan AND staying club level, it does give you a ton of flexibility. We can eat breakfast there every morning (we’re more of a granola, fruit, and coffee kind of couple) have decent quality food, but not have to worry about dealing with the time wasted at a sit down table service. You can even bring food back to your room while you finish getting ready (and your husband wonders exactly why you need to put on mascara for a day in the theme park!)

Another aspect is the fact that the concierge staff is there to help you make reservations, etc. Truly, the fact that I was able to call them a few weeks in advance of my ADR date and give them a list of where I wanted to eat and when, along with my cc information, then just sit back and wait for my confirmation email to arrive without waking up at 7am to hit the phones or the internet…. THAT made the whole extra cost of the CL worth it in my mind.

Again, my logic went back to the fact that we’re not made of money my any stretch of the imagination, but sometimes a little extra money (it worked out to about 400 for the whole trip) is worth knowing you will be able to relax and have someone willing to help if you need it!

Plus, of course, there were those very tempting pictures of the food, desserts, and drinks offered at the club level lounges!

So what has our “Rolex” gotten us so far? Well, we’ve spent around 5k and we have 9 days, 8 nights, Club Level in the YC along with park hopper passes and a deluxe dining plan! Roughly 300 per person, per day. Remember though, that includes meals! I think we’re doing pretty well so far…..and considering we’ve saved about that amount this past year for the trip, we’re good to go!

UP NEXT! Wait, you meant you are getting a REAL Rolex?

 

[TanzUnited99]

on booking CL at the YC!! You guys will have a great trip and if you can't splurge once in a while what's the point in saving!

Everyone's different and what might work for you may not work for another person so just go with what you feel is right. Breakfast in the morning and the CL desserts and drinks sound great!!

 

[jenneth79]

I did it!!!!!

I saved, and searched, and made a gazillion phone calls........but FINALLY.... I put the deposit down on my husband's anniversary gift. Yes, our anniversary that is in September. It's going to take me that long to make all the payments on it!

Any guesses what it was?

 

[LovintheLodge]

Hi Kerry! Thanks for checking this out! That's pretty much the same setup Mike and I have. He makes sure we have enough money put away for a rainy day, pays the mortgage, and I pay all the household bills and buy groceries. Plus, he has his watches! (he swears they are an investment....)

Too funny!

I'm sorry for your loss. I've found that returning to the places (or music, food, books, movies, whatever) that we shared with those we lost... well, it just helps, somehow. I'm not at the point where I can do that without crying, but at the same time, it does bring a smile to my face as well. I know he would be glad he influenced me that way. I hope you were able to go back to the Poconos this past Presidents day.

We did go to the Poconos. I know we all were sad (I kept crying just thinking about going there and my Dad not being there); no one talked about it over the long weekend (it's just too hard now) until I said something to my Mom as we were leaving when I was thanking her (my sisters were nearby and my brother already was headed back to VA)...we all immediately got teary. You see, my parents paid for the rental home each year and the rest of us would bring food, etc....and my Mom insisted on doing so again this year. We will continue to go - he would have definitely wanted that and we want to go too! Hugs to you...you are so right about not being at the point where you can 'go back' without crying, but it brings a smile to your face.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

I did it!!!!!

I saved, and searched, and made a gazillion phone calls........but FINALLY.... I put the deposit down on my husband's anniversary gift. Yes, our anniversary that is in September. It's going to take me that long to make all the payments on it!

Any guesses what it was?

I hope he doesn't read here if you want it to be a surprise

 

[jenneth79]

I hope he doesn't read here if you want it to be a surprise

Very good point. I'm actually a bit worried about that.... but.... I kind of doubt he would take the time to look around.....

 

[TanzUnited99]

I did it!!!!!

I saved, and searched, and made a gazillion phone calls........but FINALLY.... I put the deposit down on my husband's anniversary gift. Yes, our anniversary that is in September. It's going to take me that long to make all the payments on it!

Any guesses what it was?

That is great!! I could be completely off the mark but is it the Richard Petty driving experience?

 

[jenneth79]

That is great!! I could be completely off the mark but is it the Richard Petty driving experience?

No, but that is a REALLY good idea! Though I can't do it now, because there is no way I'd come up with the money for it .

 

[jenneth79]

I hope he doesn't read here if you want it to be a surprise

You know what's REALLY funny, in a no-way-this-is-actually-funny kind of way? I took a picture of the gift at the store (as it was going on layaway...) and wanted to send it to a girlfriend of mine who is helping me with the planning of our "special event" (more on that hopefully tonight or tomorrow... don't want to get excited until it's real!) and pulled it up in iPhoto to shrink the image enough to email it to her.

What I didn't realize in my haste was that I threw it in a Facebook folder...which automatically uploads. So a few hours later, I look on my FB page and SEE THE PICTURE RIGHT THERE.

Thank heavens he was on a train back from CT and didn't have the time to check his FB feed......crisis averted...... stupid technology being all helpful and stuf.....

 

[Cinderumbrella]

You know what's REALLY funny, in a no-way-this-is-actually-funny kind of way? I took a picture of the gift at the store (as it was going on layaway...) and wanted to send it to a girlfriend of mine who is helping me with the planning of our "special event" (more on that hopefully tonight or tomorrow... don't want to get excited until it's real!) and pulled it up in iPhoto to shrink the image enough to email it to her.

What I didn't realize in my haste was that I threw it in a Facebook folder...which automatically uploads. So a few hours later, I look on my FB page and SEE THE PICTURE RIGHT THERE.

Thank heavens he was on a train back from CT and didn't have the time to check his FB feed......crisis averted...... stupid technology being all helpful and stuf.....

see, this is why I don't facebook!

I think we all have a pretty good idea what it is though

 

[TanzUnited99]

No, but that is a REALLY good idea! Though I can't do it now, because there is no way I'd come up with the money for it .

Hey, I just thought of it just because I was reading something on another PTR - am sure whatever you have got will be special. I may have figured it out - am going off your title but again could be wrong! I am really not good at guessing games!

You know what's REALLY funny, in a no-way-this-is-actually-funny kind of way? I took a picture of the gift at the store (as it was going on layaway...) and wanted to send it to a girlfriend of mine who is helping me with the planning of our "special event" (more on that hopefully tonight or tomorrow... don't want to get excited until it's real!) and pulled it up in iPhoto to shrink the image enough to email it to her.

What I didn't realize in my haste was that I threw it in a Facebook folder...which automatically uploads. So a few hours later, I look on my FB page and SEE THE PICTURE RIGHT THERE.

Thank heavens he was on a train back from CT and didn't have the time to check his FB feed......crisis averted...... stupid technology being all helpful and stuf.....

OMG that is sooo scary!! I am so glad that DH didn't get to see it - phew!

 

[jenneth79]

see, this is why I don't facebook!

I think we all have a pretty good idea what it is though

Well, it's not a Timex....

Hey, I just thought of it just because I was reading something on another PTR - am sure whatever you have got will be special. I may have figured it out - am going off your title but again could be wrong! I am really not good at guessing games!

Actually, I'm glad you brought it up, because I didn't honestly even know about it! I'm going to look into it for a later trip now, I'm sure he'd adore it. And yes, going off the title is a good idea.... I'm not terribly subtle

 

[TanzUnited99]

Actually, I'm glad you brought it up, because I didn't honestly even know about it! I'm going to look into it for a later trip now, I'm sure he'd adore it. And yes, going off the title is a good idea.... I'm not terribly subtle

In that case I'm glad I mentioned it

Hey, I still didn't get it until a second guess! Told you guessing is not my strongest skill!

 

[mrsksomeday]

Your title sucked me in . Great PTR, I am loving your plans. You are a good writer, very witty, can't wait to read more. Congrats on tracking down the Timex .