August 13, 2011 Med - Mickey's Marauding Mates

[west&east]

OK so just about everybody has checked in recently except for NJ & Liverpool... Hellllloooo!!!

Tomorrow is DH's birthday...got him one of those new latest generation Kindles. I drew a real blank on what to get him - it is always hard with Christmas right around the corner but I was thinking ahead to our cruise - thought it would be handy dandy!! I plan to get him a nice lighted cover/case for it for Christmas then. The one I want to get him is $60 so I figured that could wait.

OK, no swimming tonight - off to make homemade flatbread pizzas! I make my own sauce & DH & DS always like it better than any others we can order / buy.

Annie, I have a Kindle and love it!! In fact, I had the 1st generation and recently upgraded to the new one. Your husband will really enjoy it I am sure. I waited a month or so but just got the cover with the built in light. It is really, really nice. The Kindle is awesome for traveling or really for reading any time. I love being able to get a free sample of any book to start it before I purchase it. I also love being able to get a book in seconds.

DS's team won another round in the tournament tonight. They play again Friday night. If we lose we are out. 6 teams left so it is getting interesting especially with 7 year olds playing!

 

[Anal Annie]

I can't believe how fast we slip to near the bottom of page 2!!

Cold, dreary rainy day here (ICK! BLAH!) I finally turned the heat on the other night but I keep it very low during the day when nobody else is home - I am FREEEEEZING cold!! It's going to be a long winter! Looks like my parents (in WV) might get some light snow soon - wondered if Jeff is in the snow belt too?! I am in NO HURRY for that!!

Karen - tell DS good luck!

 

[jd99]

I can't believe how fast we slip to near the bottom of page 2!!

Cold, dreary rainy day here (ICK! BLAH!) I finally turned the heat on the other night but I keep it very low during the day when nobody else is home - I am FREEEEEZING cold!! It's going to be a long winter! Looks like my parents (in WV) might get some light snow soon - wondered if Jeff is in the snow belt too?! I am in NO HURRY for that!!

Karen - tell DS good luck!

They say snow may mix in with rain a bit tomorrow but nothing to worry about. We just closed our pool last week and I still have all the patio furniture out and uncovered. It was the first year of our pool and so we never bought covers for all the furniture so I hurried to Frontgate to get some items this week and now waiting for them to be delivered. Looks like it's all going to get a snow christening tomorow.

 

[Kels Sem]

Well it's been a wet and dreary day here but surprising mild for this time of year> I'm not looking forward to it turning cold which I'm sure will happen any day soon.

My DH reckons that I should get a kindle as I love reading but I just can't get my head round not actually having a book in my hand. I can see it's good for travelling especially as I travel by train to work and it wouldn't take up much room in my bag but what about being curled up on the sofa or in bed at night with a cup of tea and a good book in hand? I'm not the most up to date person when it comes to technology. I think my DS knows more than me and he's only 6

Karen can you or anyone else convince me otherwise?

 

[jd99]

Well it's been a wet and dreary day here but surprising mild for this time of year> I'm not looking forward to it turning cold which I'm sure will happen any day soon.

My DH reckons that I should get a kindle as I love reading but I just can't get my head round not actually having a book in my hand. I can see it's good for travelling especially as I travel by train to work and it wouldn't take up much room in my bag but what about being curled up on the sofa or in bed at night with a cup of tea and a good book in hand? I'm not the most up to date person when it comes to technology. I think my DS knows more than me and he's only 6

Karen can you or anyone else convince me otherwise?

I don't have a kindle, but I have an iPad and use it to read in iBooks. As a writer by education, training and what I do day-to-day (former newspaper reporter turned PR guy) I never dreamed I could make the conversion to not having a book in my hand. I pooh-poohed those who told me to get a kindle. But I am sold. I love reading on the iPad. I think I read even faster now. The ONLY downside is that when you are on a plane, you can't turn it on until after takeoff so I always have to remember to have a magazine or newspaper with me for that period of time when you are just sitting there waiting to take off. I also miss taking home a pile of books from Barnes and Noble but I buy one every now and then just for old times sake. But I'm finding it harder and harder to read a real book now that I've become hooked on the iPad.

 

[Kels Sem]

I don't have a kindle, but I have an iPad and use it to read in iBooks. As a writer by education, training and what I do day-to-day (former newspaper reporter turned PR guy) I never dreamed I could make the conversion to not having a book in my hand. I pooh-poohed those who told me to get a kindle. But I am sold. I love reading on the iPad. I think I read even faster now. The ONLY downside is that when you are on a plane, you can't turn it on until after takeoff so I always have to remember to have a magazine or newspaper with me for that period of time when you are just sitting there waiting to take off. I also miss taking home a pile of books from Barnes and Noble but I buy one every now and then just for old times sake. But I'm finding it harder and harder to read a real book now that I've become hooked on the iPad.

Thanks for your input I haven't actually seen a kindle in real life yet so not really sure on the size. An Ipad is on our list of things to buy and I didn't realise that you could get ebooks for it. Maybe this is the way forward for me initially to see whether or not I would like it. Although the Ipad is not so handy to slip in my bag for the train journey to work. I'll have to wait and see. In the states are ebooks much cheaper than a normal book? Just curious.

 

[west&east]

There is also a kindle app for the ipad so you can order books from the kindle store (through amazon) and read them on your ipad. If you have both a kindle and an ipad or a smart phone or a laptop, you can read your book on any of them and it will automatically sync your location across devices. We will probably be getting an ipad this year as well but I think I will still prefer the kindle for reading books because of the e-ink format. Looking at a computer screen strains my eyes more quickly than the kindle which is far more like a printed page (but you do need a light in a dark room just as you would for a book).

Another baseball tournament game on the horizon tonight in chilly temperatures. This will be a longshot but who knows what will happen. Have a great weekend everybody!

 

[jd99]

Thanks for your input I haven't actually seen a kindle in real life yet so not really sure on the size. An Ipad is on our list of things to buy and I didn't realise that you could get ebooks for it. Maybe this is the way forward for me initially to see whether or not I would like it. Although the Ipad is not so handy to slip in my bag for the train journey to work. I'll have to wait and see. In the states are ebooks much cheaper than a normal book? Just curious.

Sorry for the delay in answering - ebooks (or in my case ibooks) are about the same cost as buying in a bookstore. Wish they were cheaper!

What is this thread doing on page 3 again? Yikes. Annie's going to have our heads.

At day two of a swim meet. DD12 did great yesterday, dropped time in 2 of 3 events (equaled in the third) including a whopping four seconds in the 100 breast stroke. Hope today is equally successful for her!

 

[Anal Annie]

Sorry for the delay in answering - ebooks (or in my case ibooks) are about the same cost as buying in a bookstore. Wish they were cheaper!

What is this thread doing on page 3 again? Yikes. Annie's going to have our heads. AYE Matey!! Off with your heads!!
At day two of a swim meet. DD12 did great yesterday, dropped time in 2 of 3 events (equaled in the third) including a whopping four seconds in the 100 breast stroke. Hope today is equally successful for her!

GO DD GO!! SWIM FAST! Those are good drops! Tell her way to go for me! NEXT weekend is our swim-a-thon charity swim for ALS / Muscular Dystrophy. DS doesn't have a time in the 100 breast yet - he's doing it for the first time in his next meet which is the weekend of Nov. 20-21. Then we have the weekend of Nov. 27th off and then there's another meet on Dec 4 & 5 (the Turkey Clause). Actually, that one is a big meet down in DC & it starts on that Friday but I doubt I will sign him up for anything on Friday. I took him all 3 days last year but I really don't like pulling him out of school - I don't want him to miss Spanish & Geometry or a lab in Science - too much to make up with those. The meet events aren't posted yet so I don't know if his age will swim mornings or afternoons. But he has a rotational class schedule & I don't know what his classes will be for that Friday yet. It is just easier to hope he won't miss too many events on Friday and sign him up for 6 things between Sat & Sun.

 

[jd99]

GO DD GO!! SWIM FAST! Those are good drops! Tell her way to go for me!

Thanks and believe it or not today was even better. She dropped time in all four events including 3.5 in the 50 Fly, 4 seconds in the 100 IM and NINE seconds in the 200 breast.

Good luck at the MS swim!!!!!

 

[Anal Annie]

Thanks and believe it or not today was even better. She dropped time in all four events including 3.5 in the 50 Fly, 4 seconds in the 100 IM and NINE seconds in the 200 breast.

Good luck at the MS swim!!!!!

That is OUTSTANDING! Sounds like she's going to have some championship qualifying times! DS is nowhere near making any championship time cuts. We got the meet announcement & sign-up for the Dec. meet this morning. I was VERY disappointed to see that they've eliminated all "NT" swims so he will basically be swimming the same events as what he's doing in our Nov. meet (he's getting 2 new times at that one for the 200 IM & 100 Breast). Once they hit 13 yo they usually only offer 50's in the Free so they become longer swims - which he is still getting times for. I hate it when they limit them like that - not sure how they're supposed to GET their times if they eliminate the NT swims. That also usually means that the meet is HUGE when they do that. I'll bet this Turkey Claus will still have close to 2,000 swimmers. It is a "NFT" meet - the faster kids with qualifying times will go to the Tom Dolan championship meet the following weekend.

So what's going on with the other Marauding Mates peeps?

Someone sent me a PDF file for the UK brochure for DLP for next year...the package prices look really high to me. I am starting to 2nd guess our plan to go to DLP before our cruise. Luke? Kelly? Any thoughts on DLP packages this far out?? This brochure is in British Pounds - but when I convert it to USD it is downright SCARY! I just refuse to spend $2,000 for 4 nights at DLP (at the Sequoia Lodge)!! We may not be staying onsite after all. Then that opens a whole new can of research worms for me!!! But it may be cheaper to rent out our points & use the cash to stay IN Paris somewhere & just visit DLP for a couple of days via train. Wonder when they will release their US packages? Right now it looks like they've only released UK packages.

 

[luke]

Howdy!
Been away from properly posting on the DIS for a bit - tend to not come on here much without a WDW trip planned as I mostly hang around on the UK Trip Planning board.

Any help you want on DLP just give me a shout, I've been there at least once a year for the past ten years
It is a VERY expensive place tho, especially at the moment with the pound (and dollar) weak against the EURO.

Put it this way - our accomodation last new years at Sequoia Lodge for 4 nights cost only slightly less than our 14 nights at Saratoga Springs, including 14 day all including WDW park tickets AND dining plan!!!

 

[Kels Sem]

Hey there,,
I agree with Luke that it will be very expensive. Justine found this when she was there this year (Aug) and said there was very little value for money. I had a quick look on the UK site and for 4 nights in the Sequoia Lodge the time you would be going is coming out at around £1250 for the 3 of you and this includes tickets and breakfast. It also includes a 30% discount if you book before 31/01/11. It's not very likely you would get any cheaper as it will be peak season.

Not sure if you would fair much better staying in Paris. I was pricing short breaks for DH and myself and we could fly to and stay in New York or Dubai much cheaper than a few nights in Paris :scared1

Any other questions please ask.

 

[Anal Annie]

This is NOT the news I was hoping for, even WITH the 30% off. $1,250 in British pounds (I don't know how to make that symbol appear for pounds) converts to $2,017 USD. 30% off of that works out to $1,412 (today anyway). It seems the conversion rates only get WORSE, never better. Renting out our points is probably the best way to go. I think Dadios service rents them for $13 pp & we'd get $10 pp from that. I don't want to fool with renting them myself & writing a contract. So with that math if we rent out 135 points we can "clear" $1,350 which is ALMOST enough to cover the package at Sequoia. I say 135 points bcuz I think it would take about 136 points to book Sequoia thru DVC - but that's JUST the hotel, no park tix. We'd still have to buy 5 days worth of tix on top with that stooopid rule of having to buy length of stay tix. I think that would probably run us another $600-700. So definitely the package thing is the way to get the most bang for whatever buck we have.

NEXT I'd like to hear your thoughts on the various properties at DLP. I had been thinking Sequoia Lodge because IF we booked on points it's the cheapest option they offer + it looks so much like Wilderness Lodge (one of my personal favs). Being that we're used to DVC I hate to downgrade our room TOO much but I really doubt we'll be in it for much more than sleeping. I'd like to have access to a nice pool to hopefully have a couple of hours in & figured the pool there would be decent enough... But what do you UK peeps think of say the Cheyenne or Sante Fe? Downgrading hotels would definitely save a few bucks - but would we HATE the properties and wish we'd spend another $200 or whatever it works out to be?! (We're not huge fans of the Moderate resorts at WDW - that's why we bought DVC but trying to be realistic here - it's only 4 nights, right?!) Calling on the UK experts here!!

(PS) I see one major diff. in the more expensive hotels is that they have air conditioning & the others do not. Do you think in August we'd need it in Paris?!

 

[luke]

Ok, and I love DLP, but the hotels are a pale immitation of their WDW counterparts!
Sequoia Lodge is a favourite of ours in winter, but if you go expecting anything like Wilderness Lodge you'll be disappointed I'm afraid.

I've stayed in Santa Fe once, never would again, horrible place IMO. Cheyenne on the other hand is great and for me the best themed hotel there.

Only hotel I've not stayed at is the Disneyland Hotel, but of the other two 'higher end' hotels I prefer Hotel New York, never a fan of Newport Bay although it looks lovely at night across Lake Disney

 

[Anal Annie]

Humm. Interesting to hear that about Sante Fe...will keep Cheyenne in mind then as an alternate. Disappointing to hear that about Sequoia. Wilderness ranks right up there with Beach Club Villas as our 2 fav. DVC resorts. I spoke to a TA today that specializes in European travel. She is the identical twin sister of an old friend of mine from a previous job. I haven't seen her in like 5 years but speak to my friend on rare occasions so she gave me her number today. She said airfares are WAAY up and that she personally thinks the prices will improve in January. She said to sit tight on my end for now & that she will help me watch for sales. She said Luftansa is good & often has sales so she might be able to piece together a combo thru them and United. She also suggested Icelandic Air or something. They are currently running under $900 rt to Paris thru JFK. She said they're going to start flying out of BWI which would eliminate having to go to NY (BWI = Baltimore for our UK peeps which is our airport of preference) in May and that she would anticipate them to announce some bargain prices after the first of the year to ramp up sales - they would not fly direct tho (which I really wanted). They would go thru Iceland (of course). I was like ummmmm...isn't that where that volcano was erupting last summer?! NOT SURE how I feel about THAT plan!! I mean, what are the odds of that thing acting up again NEXT August?! IF we did that then we'd have to book a rt between Paris & Barcelona separately.

She also said she would stay IN Paris & take the train out to DLP a couple of times. That would make sightseeing in Paris and seeing Paris at night a lot easier. So now I have to also research some hotels in Paris outside of DLP - just so I have a comparison to the DLP packages when they come out for the US. Any thoughts on that idea peeps?!

 

[luke]

Having just started watching The Wire, I feel I know Baltimore well

Have you checked out some of the hotels which are pretty much at DLP but aren't Disney owned?
Some of those are meant to be nice but I've not stayed there myself.

What are your dates planned for DLP again and I'll have a little look round.
The electrics blew at school today so I have an unexpected day off tomorrow, which is nice

 

[Anal Annie]

Having just started watching The Wire, I feel I know Baltimore well

Have you checked out some of the hotels which are pretty much at DLP but aren't Disney owned?
Some of those are meant to be nice but I've not stayed there myself.

What are your dates planned for DLP again and I'll have a little look round.
The electrics blew at school today so I have an unexpected day off tomorrow, which is nice

NICE - bonus day off!!

No, I have not looked at the hotels that are close to DLP - I figured we'd either stay onsite OR in the city. My problem with staying in the city is first picking an area of the city then picking a property. My TA friend suggested near the Champs Elysees or near the Opera. She said the Eiffel Tower area would be a little more out of the way. I was hoping to find something within a few block radius of both a metro stop AND the RER so that we wouldn't have to take the metro to the RER when we go to DLP. It appears that there are very few "moderate" hotels with pools in Paris (less than in Barcelona anyway). I would like to keep that as an ammenity for DS if I can. Don't know if there would be time to USE it but it's nice to have available. I found a Novotel property which overlooks the Seine & has a view of the Eiffel Tower + an indoor pool for $187 / night USD. But of course it's not near the RER. I was looking on TripAdvisor. There were just over 500 hotels in Barcelona and there are over 1,800 in Paris!! You would THINK I could find a couple that I would be happy with, right?! NOOOO....it's TOO many choices!!!

I had been thinking we'd leave the US for Paris on Sun. night, Aug. 7, arriving in Paris on the morning of the 8th. Spend 4 nights in Paris then head to Barcelona on Friday the 12th (the day before the cruise). I don't want to travel the DAY OF the cruise. Then I figured we'd spend 2-3 nights in Barcelona after the cruise. My TA friend said we might want to consider just doing Paris AND Barcelona all before the cruise and then head home right after. I kinda liked the bookend idea around the cruise but if we did all of our land portion before then we could get home & DS could have a week to recover before starting HS. I think he will have an orientation morning on Thursday & I was thinking about coming home on Tuesday the 22nd...so he'd still be wiped out. Anyway, we're still a little flexible as we haven't booked anything yet except for the cruise. Not sure if DH's work would care either way...but we could probably just back up the whole start date by 3 days or something.

 

[Anal Annie]

BUMP!! Slipping quickly down page 2........

 

[Anal Annie]

Daily bump! Where's my peeps!?