Confessions of an obsessive planner... Let the countdown begin!!

[-Hope-]

to try the Beverly soft drink at the Coke place (whatever its called now)?

It tastes like feet. Seriously.

I'd like to see Jace's face when he takes a gulp.

OMG Robbie has serious feet issues- he has this wierd but strong disgust for feet (and he married me who doesn't wear shoes from about mid March to October) and I knew he was really really going to love me forever when he rubbed my feet during pregnancy. I think he might be seriously traumatized by drinking something that tastes like feet- the question is whether or not to risk his trauma for the pic.

 

[lexmas]

So glad you got your flights! And at least you came in under budget, even if you just squeeked in there!

 

[-Hope-]

$1.80 under budget!!!! Woohoo!!!!!!!!

Great job, Hope. I love SWA! I've never had a situation like that happen to me. Sorry.

I don't particularly love SWA for a variety of reasons- but I do love that they let my luggage fly for free.

Hooray for booking flights! Our airfare is still more expensive than I wanted and I'm still hoping it goes down.

Amanda

I'm sure you'll find something- it seems like airfare deals are cropping up all over right now.

So glad you got your flights! And at least you came in under budget, even if you just squeeked in there!

Thanks!

 

[-Hope-]

So, after reading on Ann's PTR that Star Tours may be closed for refurb during our trip I looked at my touring plans. With no Star Tours we have about 1/2 an hour between the end of the HSM3 Pep Rally and when we need to be in line for Indiana Jones. Is that enough time to do Muppets? Or maybe we can just do some SOA pics? What do you guys who've BTDT think?

It isn't really going to get us out of the park any earlier because of the LMA show but I don't like having a 30 minute gap in my plans.

 

[-Hope-]

What the heck happened to the tickers???

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Uh-oh, maybe something is wrong with the ticker site? I haven't looked at mine recently...
No, I don't think it's enough time for muppets, but at least you won't be running around like a maniac and can take it a little slower? I thought I read ST was going down in October, I guess they pushed it up?

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Aw booooo....check it out:

"I know that many posters use countdown timers and tickers from Magical Kingdom. I recieved a complaint from a poster that their virus warning software was complaining about a page on the DIS Boards. Further investigation showed that the warning was being triggered by the tickers from Magical Kingdoms. I checked Google's safe browsing page and it reports that:

What happened when Google visited this site?
Of the 10 pages we tested on the site over the past 90 days, 3 page(s) resulted in malicious software being downloaded and installed without user consent. The last time Google visited this site was on 2010-03-24, and the last time suspicious content was found on this site was on 2010-03-24.
Malicious software includes 1 scripting exploit(s).

Malicious software is hosted on 1 domain(s), including imagehacks.info/.

This site was hosted on 1 network(s) including AS30496 (COLO4).


So for your safety we have blocked that web site.
I know everyone loves their tickers but our visitors safety is our highest priority.
We can revisit this if the site gets cleaned up
Alex"

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Ok, this is the only info I could get on Star Tours. It's from Allears and this is what they have listed for refurb:

September 2010

Epcot

Cantina de San Angel at the Mexico pavilion in Epcot, has closed for a significant refurbishment and expansion until fall 2010 (reopening is tentatively set for late September, but could change). The company that operates the restaurants in the Mexico pavilion, San Angel Inn, LLC, plans to open on the site a new 400-seat waterside restaurant and quick service food location "specializing in the freshly baked culinary flavors of Mexico." During the refurbishment, the San Angel Inn Restaurante and La Cava de Tequila, located inside the Mexico pavilion, and the Taqueria Del Lago, located alongside the promenade, will still be open for Mexican dining.

October 2010

Disney's Hollywood Studios

Star Tours -- At the D23 Expo in September 2009, then-Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Jay Rasulo announced that Star Tours in Disney's Hollywood Studios (and at Disneyland) would be closing in October 2010. The attraction will be updated and reopened sometime in 2011. The new experience will be in 3-D, an all new ride that includes many of the new worlds and elements from the more recent Star Wars movies.

 

[-Hope-]

Whew! I hope that's right! Thanks Karen.

 

[-Hope-]

I'm glad they're looking out for us and keeping the site safe. I'm also glad that someone was nice enough to find another ticker site that's safer. I'm still bummed that the ticker has to start all the way back at the beginning.

 

[-Hope-]

I GET TO MAKE MY ADR IN LESS THAN SIX HOURS!!!

I have my alarm set, my reservation number ready and the ressie page bookmarked... am I forgetting anything?? Oh, yeah, sleep.

 

[-Hope-]

Okay, I know I should be sleeping but I forgot to tell you guys about my autograph book/passport decision... and I know you are just DYING to hear.

So, Snapfish wasn't the great deal I thought it was for the photobook. the 4.99 price was for five pages and each additional 5 pages was another .99- not so cheap. I went back and forth A LOT about what to do and finally decided to just suck it up and pay for the photobook (since they emailed me a code for a discount ). But then when I had it all made and ready to go I noticed that this particular book only comes in glossy.

So... back to square one. There is a mini book with 24 paper pages for 5.99. It's WAAAY to small for an autograph book but I decided to use it for the passport. They turned out cute but the site doesn't save them like the regular books so I'll have to just take a pic when they come in. The covers are personalized and there are two pages per country- one for the stamp and one for the CM's to write. I used Natalies DISigns and can hardly wait to see them!

So, I still couldn't figure out what to do about the autograph books. I kept thinking that I should just do a photo album and forget it but the kids had already picked out covers that we'd personalized and they were really excited about what they'd picked. Then when I was shopping I found the perfect thing... A 'brag book' in the photo album section. It has a cardstock scene in the front but there's a pocket where I can slip in any picture for the cover. It holds 36 pics not including the inside covers so really 38 because they each have a pocket as well. I ordered the prints from Snapfish in matte finish- which everyone who's tried on the disign boards has been happy with. I really like this because I'm sure we won't get all the cards filled so there will be some empty pages for me to put pics of the kids with the characters- but there won't be so much empty space that I need a pic with every one just in case some don't turn out well. I'm sure you'll be SHOCKED to learn that I was actually a little concerned that it would bother me to have empty pages or blank spaces where character pics should be. This system will ensure a full book with as many or as few pics as I want.

And how much did this cost you ask?? Well, snapfish sent me another coupon code- this one for free shipping- and since I got the small photobooks I opted to use this one instead. So, including the 2 albums I picked up today the grand total for 2 personalized autograph books and 2 personalized passports was $20!!!

I'll post pics as soon as the stuff is delivered!

 

[-Hope-]

I got it!!! Since we'll be doing QSDP we're just doing one OOP TS meal so I only needed to make one reservation. We're going to 1900 Park Fare at 6:15 PM on Sunday September 26.

This is exactly the time I wanted- and I hope we have it timed well enough to be able to take the ferry back over to MK during Wishes. Can you say FREE fireworks cruise?

I decided not to make my 'just in case' reservations. If they release FD later that is the regular DDP for the values I'll be scrambling but I really don't think that's going to happen. We'll see I guess!

 

[lexmas]

Glad you got your reservations! Now we just await free dining...

I'll have to sign up for snapfish and check out those brag books. Thanks for all the info! Can't wait to see yours!

 

[-Hope-]

Thanks! I know, now that I'm up I keep obsessively checking the FD thread on the restaurants board but nothing yet. There was speculation that the Visa cardholders would know something this morning but I guess not yet.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Ugh, the news is not good this morning. Instead of releasing free dining for the fall they have some other promotion for SUMMER?!?!?!? This is not the norm and people are worried there will be no free dining. If they were to release after THIS new promo is up, like they usually do, it wouldn't be until August 14?!?!?!? That's just crazy. Get on that website and make a new account Hope with another email address! Do whatever you can to get a pin code.

 

[lexmas]

I refuse to panic until they release a different promotion for fall. Repeat with me. "I refuse to panic..."

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

breathing, breathing, breathing

I think you are right though, there HAS to be some sort of fall promotion! It would be insanity not to offer something when they have discounts for every other period, even the busy periods.

I'm not worried or panicked for myself, we already have free QSDP with a pin, but I'm worried for Hope.

 

[lexmas]

I know, you are so lucky! I thought I had lucked out when I got an offer in the mail on Friday, but it was just for free dining through the summer. Nice, but not what I'm looking for. It will come out though, we just have to be patient. Last year was the first year that they offered it before April at all. We still have time.

 

[-Hope-]

I created another account just to be on the safe side but I'm trying not to panic!! Either way it doesn't matter at this point since I've already bought non-refundable plane tickets.

Oh, how I wish I hadn't already told the kids about Park Fare and MNSSHP. I'd be much less worried if I'd kept my big mouth shut and could just quietly cut these if we have to pay for dining.