Dave Ramseying to Disney!Some final thoughts 8/18

[999ghostslover]

We have been so busy! This PTR has taken a backseat to life...again. I apologize. My grandmother is doing wonderfully. My mom just got back from staying with her a week and to hear it from my grandmother, she spent the week taking care of my mom. So I am happy that all is well with that!
I have been interviewing and trying to get a part-time nursing job. We'll see. I'm ready to work! The kids are busy with VBS this week so even though I am not technically teaching this year I am helping out here and there and busy with that.
We do have one major change to our trip. Every 4 years all of the Catholic school teachers in the country go to a conference for a week and next year is the year so we get an extra week in April. It is the week after spring break. So we will not be celebrating Brady's birthday at Disney BUT we will be celebrating smaller crowds and maybe a little less hot weather. We will probably drive down to Titusville on Saturday, spend Easter with Tom's grandmother, check in to Disney the next day and just do DTD or something. The crowds are still high that day. I am also toying with the idea of doing Swan or Dolphin instead of a value and getting the nurses discount or the all ears discount and or getting some of my dad's westin points (especially if my parents join us). The only crappy thing is that you have to pay for parking each day and you don't get the charging privileges or dining plan (which we were only going to do if free anyway). But you get EMH and the transportation and that is worth its weight in gold. And you get the heavenly bed and that is all I need. I think bedspreads are so gross and the sheets at most Disney hotels are awful. Disney is so far behind on the bedding in most places. But who knows it may just not work out financially to do that. But I really want it to.
So have you stayed in either?
If you were going to do Swan or Dolphin which would you prefer?
Why would you or wouldn't you consider Dolphin or Swan?

 

[Disneychix]

I love love the Dolphin! Those beds are to-die-for after a long day! The pool area is amazing and the location is awesome. Especially if you can get a good rate, you can't beat staying for that cheap in the EPCOT/DHS area.

However, in addition to the parking they also have the $10/day 'resort fee' which gives you internet, 2 bottles of water and free local calls. So add on $20+ dollars to the rate.

 

[Sleepingbooty]

We haven't stayed at the Swolphin - but I've heard nothing but good about them. I'm just so partial to the theming of the Disney owned resorts that I'm not sure we'd stay there - but the beds are supposed to very heavenly!

 

[Lady Lallie]

I've never really thought about staying at Dolphin or Swan but if you can score a good deal, I say go for it!

 

[BrooklynnsMommy]

I followed you over from Jackie's (Charleston Princess) report. We have probably passed each other at Target or Walmart or our kids possibly have even played together in the fountains at Bridge Street (my little girl are almost 4 and 14 months). I can't wait to hear how all your plans evolve into a fabulous family vacation.

 

[Happy Elf]

Just found your PTR, can't wait to hear more.

 

[999ghostslover]

Hello! Well, life got in the way of the Dis and it has been forever since I have updated. This summer just got away from me. Chasing two mobile babies and a high0sprited almost 6 year old was quite an adventure in itself. I am so sorry. Here is a little recap of our fun summer.

There was a lot of this...

And some visits like this...

Where we got to go here...

And here...

But mostly I got an iphone and haven't been on the real internet because I am too busy messing with that at the pool so I can take pics like this...

and this...

We have booked our trip and Abby has started kindergarten. Double yeah! More to come!!

 

[Lady Lallie]

Welcome Back to the Land of the DIS!

I can't wait to hear more about your plans.

 

[moparop]

That looks like a wonderful summer vacation! I ended up disappearing for a while too this summer because we were doing so many of those fun things!

 

[999ghostslover]

That looks like a wonderful summer vacation! I ended up disappearing for a while too this summer because we were doing so many of those fun things!

Yes, the days themselves were long but the summer still flew by!

Welcome Back to the Land of the DIS!

I can't wait to hear more about your plans.

Thank you! I'm so excited. I used Becky from Memphis' travel agent. She is awesome. More later. I'm trying to catch up on your PTR right now.

 

[999ghostslover]

What's the Deal-e-o?
How about a little Coro-nad-o!
Ole!

So after stewing over the Swalphin all summer it just was not sitting well with me. I knew I was trying to convince myself that it really was Disney when it was not. And my parents have still been so non-committal that it just didn't seem fair to us to plan a trip based on what my parents expected (they stay at 5 star and higher hotels all around the world). While the Swan and Dolphin seem to have a loyal following on here the people who stay there are just not as Disney nuts as the average Diser. It is hard to explain. And then twice I told people that we were thinking Swan and Dolphin and twice they told me that they only stay on-property. Ugh. So do I, darn-it!
So Sunday night my TA (Becky's travel agent) called and told me she knew some discounts would hit Monday morning and did I want to look into anything. At this point I was still thinking week after Easter (not included in Free dining) but a quick check of Touring plans told me we should go back to our original week of May 30 to June 5. Sure I said. It was great. This vacation had been in the back burner of my mind for so long that I gut reaction said Coronado Springs and 6 nights. She got us exactly what we wanted. And SHE got to sit on hold all day while I was productive.
And by productive I mean texting her every 30 minutes to see if she had made progress. I am so excited.

We got the free dining of course. My parents are supposedly deciding this weekend while they have romantic weekend together in Charleston. We'll see if they even bring it up. Can you tell I am frustrated?
But we are going to have fun with or without them.
I love this travel agent so much. She spent an hour on the phone with me on Tuesday and then my neighbor booked with her on Wednesday. I'm already hashing out what to do on each day.

So tell me all about your Coronado experiences.

 

[Lady Lallie]

I haven't stayed at Coronado so I can't help you there but...I think you did make the right decision in going with a more traditional Disney resort with that pixie dust feel.

If your parents want to go, couldn't they stay at the Swolphin and just meet up with you in the parks? It might be good to not be with the whole trip.

 

[francis6306]

I'm joining in! I caught the "Dave Ramsey" in your title and I was hooked. I just read through the links, so I'm probably missing a lot in between! Exciting for you to get those discounts for next year! Can you believe they are already announcing those?

We loosely follow DR's way of life, although, right now- not so much. My husband is in Grad School full time, and my pitiful salary doesn't cover it, so we are taking out evil student loans. But we have peace and know that for us, this will work out for us. He's going to school for FREE and we could never save up the money to pay for school ourselves and we couldn't wait and just "hope" he could get in later. So, we put it in God's hands and we're here!

We're going in December We're staying at Pop and got free dining!

 

[moparop]

I have heard so many great things about Coranado! One of my friends just came back and they loved the pool area and having queen sized beds. They also traveled with a little one and put the baby on the other side of the bathroom sliding door and closed her in for the night. It cut down on the noise/light her daughter had and everyone slept much better! And free dining too!!

Hopefully, your parents give you a firm answer this week. Planning around "I am not sure" is not easy!

 

[999ghostslover]

I haven't stayed at Coronado so I can't help you there but...I think you did make the right decision in going with a more traditional Disney resort with that pixie dust feel.

If your parents want to go, couldn't they stay at the Swolphin and just meet up with you in the parks? It might be good to not be with the whole trip.

Yes, that is a possibility too. But I would love an adjoining room--not that that is a guarantee either way. And we were really torn between CSR and POR and our deciding factor was that I really wanted a queen bed with duvets (I can't stand bedspreads like 99% of Disney still has) and I know that with three kids we will probably do POR in the future because of the extra bed. But for now, with one in a crib I wanted to do something totally new.
However, as soon as you start posting pics of POR mansions I may change my mind.

I'm joining in! I caught the "Dave Ramsey" in your title and I was hooked. I just read through the links, so I'm probably missing a lot in between! Exciting for you to get those discounts for next year! Can you believe they are already announcing those?

We loosely follow DR's way of life, although, right now- not so much. My husband is in Grad School full time, and my pitiful salary doesn't cover it, so we are taking out evil student loans. But we have peace and know that for us, this will work out for us. He's going to school for FREE and we could never save up the money to pay for school ourselves and we couldn't wait and just "hope" he could get in later. So, we put it in God's hands and we're here!

We're going in December We're staying at Pop and got free dining!

Good for you guys. Just get a good payback plan and work the baby steps as soon as his first post-school paycheck comes in. We are paying off 3 loans and we cannot wait to kick Sallie Mae to the curb!!
Have fun at Pop!!

I have heard so many great things about Coranado! One of my friends just came back and they loved the pool area and having queen sized beds. They also traveled with a little one and put the baby on the other side of the bathroom sliding door and closed her in for the night. It cut down on the noise/light her daughter had and everyone slept much better! And free dining too!!

Hopefully, your parents give you a firm answer this week. Planning around "I am not sure" is not easy!

I was hoping we could put the baby in there too. At least for naps so one of us could stay in the room and read while the other takes the big two to the pool. Yes, I just want to know. At this point I would be fine with a yes or a no.

 

[francis6306]

We do have a good plan... that includes me going back to work after this next little comes... But I'm still hoping we can do it without me having to work full time. We'll see. Its ALL in his hands anyway, right?

 

[999ghostslover]

We do have a good plan... that includes me going back to work after this next little comes... But I'm still hoping we can do it without me having to work full time. We'll see. Its ALL in his hands anyway, right?

It is!
And you will be teaching your kids such good lessons about work. I love being a stay-at home mom but lately I have realized that my DD thinks that will automatically be her career path because almost all of the women she knows stay at home. I just want he to know that whatever she does it is her choice!

And stay tuned because I will be talking about some money stuff soon.

 

[999ghostslover]

So we are already in our 3rd week of school. Can you believe it?
My darling Abby Rose is doing so well in kindergarten. Her teacher cannot believe that she can already read books.

And the boys started MMO one morning a week.

We are busy planning her birthday party. It will be on Labor Day at our pool and clubhouse in our neighborhood. It is Wizard of Oz themed.
I ordered all of the party supplies and a light saber for Brady for Christmas and a witch costume for Abby for Halloween for $50 shipped. I could not believe it! A little chat icon popped up on the website (celebrateexpress.com). They asked if I needed help. I typed that I was going to go check out a competitor website to see if I could get a better deal since they had no coupons up on www.retailmenot.com and wouldn't you know he found me free shipping and 15% off. It never hurts to ask.

Do you check out retailmenot.com before making a purchase?
Do you use ebates.com?

I am new to ebates.com. I have probably only gotten about $20 in checks form them but those checks go right in to my account. Every little bit helps!!

 

[Lady Lallie]

What a great deal you found!! I always check retailmenot.com, I also check coupon mountain as well. Sometimes if I still can't find anything then I just google whatever store I'm looking for and most times I come up with a working code.

 

[moparop]

I check a couple of sites for codes, but I have never gotten to retailmenot. I've also never done ebates but I have plenty of friends who do it. They have saved hundreds of dollars on the site.

I can't wait to hear all about the party!

Your kiddos are adorable! Are the boys loving MDO?