Boo to you, and Yo Ho Ho!! An Oct 2012 PTR. Updated 10/22!! Finally!!!!!

[ash-n-brensmom]

Congrats!!! Now you have me thinking we need to go to Rose & Crown on our arrival night just to get me one of those. I'm sure it will be quite tasty in the heat of the summer too. mmmmm... That would also be a new food experience for us so now it's a must. LOL.

I can't wait to go on Big Thunder since it wasn't open when we were there in Jan. We didn't get to do it when we went last July either because the wait was far too long and at that point I was getting tired so it's been a long time coming. Ian has never been on it either so I'm excited for him to try it for the first time.

You have given me an idea to post on my PTR now. Thanks for the idea!

Yes, they are very refreshing in the hot summer months! YUMMY!! I was so disappointed when I heard that BTMRR would be down in Jan...then I saw that we would be there before it shut down and I made sure that our days were booked so we could ride it two days!

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

I can't believe I missed this...we are less than 8 months now!! YAY!! I need to pay closer attention to that countdown...

 

[laura428]

I can't believe I missed this...we are less than 8 months now!! YAY!! I need to pay closer attention to that countdown...

Woohoooo!!!!

And I am SO trying that Welsh Dragon. May even have to try whipping up a sample at home, just to be sure.

And I'm very curious to see what BTMR is like when it re-opens. Chloe and Max LOVE that ride!!

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

Woohoooo!!!!

And I am SO trying that Welsh Dragon. May even have to try whipping up a sample at home, just to be sure.

And I'm very curious to see what BTMR is like when it re-opens. Chloe and Max LOVE that ride!!

I have thought about trying to make a batch myself...I am afraid that it will not turn out well and that would be sad..

I am VERY curious about BTMRR as well. There have been no threads that I have seen about the refurb at all. Usually when a ride is down for this long they have something to say about why it's down. I know that it was in need of some serious TLC, so maybe that's all we can expect. But I was thinking it might end up with an interactive queue area or something. We shall see...

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

Hey guys..sorry I haven't posted in a while. Been busy with work and kids and well, life..KWIM?

We are anxiously awaiting Allegiant opening up their schedule for Oct! We decided that if the price is right when they post, then that's who we will be flying with. We have to rent a car anyways and we can get one at the Sanford Airport just as easily as MCO and the prices for their flights are trending much lower than SW, Airtran or JB. The only thing is we have to be careful with the base price because we need to add all the luggage and seat selection fees and if that gets us close to the Airtran price, I might just bite the bullet and go with them because their schedule is better. Decisions, decisions!

But the good news so far is we processed our taxes last week and our return is on the way. We should have it by the 8th. Then we are good to go to buy our flights! We aren't getting as much back this year as last, but there should be just enough for our flights and our half of a house rental with my DBro this summer in the mountains. Getting excited and anxious to purchase the flights. It just never seems to be real until you buy non refundable tickets!!

So, that's all for now. Hope everyone is doing well and staying safe in all this crazy weather! We have had some pretty high winds for the last 24 hours...but nothing compared to what the poor folks in other parts have been dealing with.

Gotta work tonight...the work week takes so long, and the weekend goes so fast....oh well, it's paying for Disney!

 

[laura428]

Totally know what you mean about the time just getting away from you. It's been ages since I posted, but there's literally been no time to do it!

Hope you guys get the airfares you want. ITA about Allegiant - sometimes, by the time you tack on all of the extras, it ends up being more expensive!

And good on ya with taxes. I SO need to get that done!!

 

[oboedm]

If you like churros, you need to go to DLR sometime! Churros are huge there... I think there is a churro cart every 20 feet or so!

 

[tifaas]

Yay for getting the taxes done. I will keep my fingers crossed for you that your flights work out ok. That is always one of those things that makes it feel a little more real to be going. How much longer do you have to wait for their flight schedules?

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

Totally know what you mean about the time just getting away from you. It's been ages since I posted, but there's literally been no time to do it!

Hope you guys get the airfares you want. ITA about Allegiant - sometimes, by the time you tack on all of the extras, it ends up being more expensive!

And good on ya with taxes. I SO need to get that done!!

Well, we are supposed to be seeing the funds in our acct any day now......waiting anxiously!! Hopefully it will be in time to grab whatever decent priced airfare I can find!!

If you like churros, you need to go to DLR sometime! Churros are huge there... I think there is a churro cart every 20 feet or so!

Hmmmm...too bad I didn't win the OMDD trip, I think we would have chosen to go to DLR because it would maximize the prize amt for us, and I would have eaten sooo many churros apparently that I would have to be rolled home!!

Yay for getting the taxes done. I will keep my fingers crossed for you that your flights work out ok. That is always one of those things that makes it feel a little more real to be going. How much longer do you have to wait for their flight schedules?

I'm hoping that they will be posted at the end of the month so we can get our tax return apply it to our credit card as a credit and then be early enough to book the cheapest price listed. That being said, I really hope that Airtran has a seat sale because I am liking their schedule better right now. Oh well, it will be what it's meant to be.

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

An actual update!! I finally have something to update!! I told you guys that we did our taxes...well, the money came in today!! I put part of it down on my credit card and part of it transferred to our vacation fund. Now I am ready for either a seat sale with SW or Airtran...or for Allegiant to finally open up their fall schedule!

Oh how I wish for that seat sale to happen first!!!! PLEASE!!!!!!!!

Anyways, that's really all that's going on unfortunately. I have to wait to make ADR's, I have to wait to buy airline tickets...I have to wait for this vacation.....I hate waiting!! Oh man, I sound like a two year old!!

I have been pretty busy lately, though. As I said before I have gotten myself all professional and such and I am now a Disney Vacation Specialist! I got my first booking the other day with a friend from work. She was able to get free dining and in her resort of choice so I am so excited for her. There are a couple of other friends at work that are planning to book soon as well. I am just so happy and ecstatic to help them plan their vacations. I knew I would like this but I think it's caught me off guard by how much I REALLY like it!


So, that's all for now. Tomorrow the girls start their March break here in Ontario. They are off until March 19th. Ferb and I both work so not too much planned. I think I'll drag them to the Y for swimming at least once and we have a special surprise on the 18th, we are taking them up to Toronto to see Disney on Ice...the Rapunzel version looked so nice that we couldn't resist. We really shouldn't be spending this money as I am currently in the whole with this little Disney hobby of mine, but we are like little kids when it comes to Disney. Gonna have to save my tips for the next couple of weeks and not spend them on stupid stuff like Tim Horton's and McDonalds for the kids.

Hope everyone is having a good week....

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

Instead of cleaning the house , like I should...I have been dising! But, this has not been a waste of my valuable time..no of course not! Because I believe that I have come up with a FABULOUS solution to our airfare dilemma!!
As you all know I have been anxiously awaiting Airtran, SW or JB to have a seat sale. But also for Allegiant to open their schedule for Oct. I have been trying to find cheaper airfare in the mean time. I found some out of Rochester airport but we would have to drive 2 hours to get there...totally doable, just not preferable. I have fallen in lust with Airtran's schedule because they have direct flights when I want them out of Buffalo. SW has been sort of my sloppy seconds because I will use them but not liking their schedule as much anymore. JB only has the schedule for our flight down and they are too expensive. Allegiant..well, it's like they are wearing a chastity belt and won't put out! Okay, sorry for the graphic description...I hope I haven't lost anyone because of it.

Anyways....I was checking out the Allegiant schedule to see when I could go there to buy the tickets if they ever open up that schedule. I knew that they weren't flying on the day we wanted to come home...it's a day too early, we really wanted to add another night to give us an extra relax day. But, hey if the price is right I will suck it up. But then I got to thinking... they are flying in on Sat...what if we added the extra day on to the beginning instead of the end? Silly me..I was afraid of how many days it would take in vacation time to cover it..I have plenty of time between now and then to earn the extra lieu days to cover it..plus it wouldn't add one day but TWO!! A cheaper, direct flight and two extra nights!!!
As London Tipton says.."Yay Me!!"

 

[jenny105]

Congrats on becoming a specialist!

I hope you get your airfare soon That makes the trip officially official.

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

Congrats on becoming a specialist!

I hope you get your airfare soon That makes the trip officially official.

Thank you! And you are totally right...when you have those non-refundable tickets booked..it is SO real!!

 

[tifaas]

Oh my goodness! An extra two days, flights are cheaper, sounds like a definite plus to me. The Disney on Ice sounds like so much fun. I bet the girls will love it. Are ya'll going to keep it a surprise until you get there? Yay for your first booking as a Disney Specialist. My in-laws always tease me that I'm their travel agent because I tend to book everything for them and they loved how our trip in Jan turned out. I might just have to look into the business after all. I did love it and who wouldn't want to love what they do for a living.

 

[laura428]

Yay on becoming an official Disney Vacation Specialist!!

And so great on the cheaper flight AND extra nights!! Sounds like that couldn't have worked out any better!!

So fun that you mentioned Timmy's!! When we lived in Canada, that was a frequent stop for us. Soup and a bagel for my lunch when out in the field, and those Timbits... oh man. And double doubles. Makes me look forward to our trip back up north this summer even more!

Thanks for the update - can't wait to hear more!

 

[jenseib]

We're waiting for flights too. Sadly. Allegiant takes part of Oct and Nov off here. I don't know why, but the last couple of years they have several weeks with no flights at all. I think that falls right when we go down.

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

Major Update Time!!!!

We made an executive decision regarding flights! We weighed all the possibilities..
Fly from Niagara Falls on a budget airline direct into either Lakeland or Sanford
Fly from Buffalo on a mid-level airline direct into MCO
Fly from Rochester on a mid-level airline direct into MCO

The flights from NF would be cheaper per ticket but would have lots of fees added and while it would still be cheaper, the negatives that we were concerned with were the fact that if something happened to our flight there were no alternative flights that day and we would have to rent a car from a smaller airport and as a result have it cost more. Also the times of the these flights weren't the best.

The flights from Buffalo were the most expensive. The times were good and the airport is closer than Rochester, but did the price negate these attributes?

The flights from Rochester would save us about $200. The negatives were the times weren't the best..not bad at all, but just not the best. And we would have a 2 hour drive there and back. The parking situation there is a little more expensive but not enough to deter one.

So, which did we choose?

Jet Blue out of Buffalo!!!


We have so far only purchased our flights down. The time is a little bit later than I would like, but the flight is direct and we are kind of excited to try a new airline! We have added a day to our normal 7 night to make it an 8 night vacation, so this later arrival time won't hurt so badly. The girls are psyched to have the tv's at their seat...okay so are me and Ferb. But the price was too high IMO. I'm not going to worry about it, or talk it to death..just this once am I going to complain. We are lucky that we had the funds from our tax return...but we are going to have to come up with more of our own to buy our flights back. They haven't released that schedule yet and I have a feeling that we might be using a different carrier on the way home if they have the same schedule as the weeks prior. Not liking the times of their direct flights home so far.

The most important thing here is we have a flight to MCO and can rent from any of the major car rental companies and hopefully get a good deal between now and then. And we unfortunately have LOTS of time between now and then to find one.

So, how excited are we that we are now official!!??!! Oh yeah...we're excited!!!

 

[khertz]

Congrats on the airfare! That always makes a trip feel more real. Hopefully you can find a decently priced return flight home.

 

[laura428]

Woohoo on the flight to MCO!! Hope you find a great option for the return.

And here's hoping for some good car rental rates, too. We used Alamo Insider last trip and got a fabulous deal. Can't remember the exact rate, but it was something like $60/wk for a mid-size, then we were upgraded to an SUV at MCO for $7 more! Great when you're lugging a stroller around.

Bet you're on cloud 9 today.

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

Congrats on the airfare! That always makes a trip feel more real. Hopefully you can find a decently priced return flight home.

Woohoo on the flight to MCO!! Hope you find a great option for the return.

And here's hoping for some good car rental rates, too. We used Alamo Insider last trip and got a fabulous deal. Can't remember the exact rate, but it was something like $60/wk for a mid-size, then we were upgraded to an SUV at MCO for $7 more! Great when you're lugging a stroller around.

Bet you're on cloud 9 today.

We are totally psyched! But last night at work I got some news that made me feel even better about our purchase. I don't know if anyone here has heard, but it looks like Direct Air is going bankrupt. Apparently they weren't able to purchase anymore jet fuel and had to cancel all their flights out of Niagara Falls. This was one of the things that Ferb and I worried about with the discount airlines. So, we are felling much better about our decision. It may have cost us more than we wanted, but it comes with peace of mind!