December 15, 2012 A Yo-HO-HO-HO Holiday Fantasy!

[AmandaRG]

ADR's are still 180 days out right? Mark your calendar for June! I'll be doing the same thing for post cruise.

Yes, ADRs are 180 days+10 (you can book when linked to your resort ressie up to 10 days from your check-in date).

We are trying to figure out what we are doing, also. We may leave our DVC points used as they currently are (for F&W) and stay at the Art of Animation post-cruise!!!

 

[LuvEeyore]

Trish,
These are the prestay options I have come up with for us. We are just waiting for Roanoke County to release next years school calender which will help us more.

1) Take the train from Raleigh on Thursday night, stay at Dolphin on Friday night using Nurses rates and take in MVMCP or Candlelight processional.(this is the more expensive option.
2) Take train on Thursday night, go to Port Canaveral and hangout, go tojetty park and watch ships leave Friday night. have a great dinner then chill lax and get ready to be at the port early on Saturday.
3)Fly in Friday morning with one of the above 3 options
4) fly in Friday night with girls going to school 1/2 day Friday. Stay at Hyatt then use Disney transfers on Saturday morning.

I am traveling with Mom age 77 at the time we cruise that has early alzheimers and my Goddaughter will have turned 18 before we cruise but will be finishing her senior year in high school and her best friend the same age.
Because she is a product of divorce Christmas is stressful at best and she wants to be home so she can spend some of it with both sets of parents. This means we will be coming home after the cruise, probablyflying home to charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro or Roanoke Airports depending on who has the better rates. I also cannot take but 1 day vacation the week of Dec 23 nest year.

Hope this helps

 

[trish.]

There is so much to think about.

I completely forgot about MVMCP. That will probably have to wait until post cruise. Our last trip to WDW, we did MNSSHP on the same night we came in from the other side of the country. It was 3am our time when we left - thank goddess the kids slept on the plane and were excited enough to stay awake and be in good spirits.

Does the Dolphin offer Teachers rates too?

LuvEeyore - taking the train sounds like it would be fun? Is it as fun as I am thinking?

 

[LuvEeyore]

Trish,
I do not know what Amtak is like. I was on a train in Russia for 30 hours with 32 others. That was great fun but very tiring. Was a great wayto see some of the countryside. I saw the most beautiful sunflower field at 6am!!
I dont know about teacher rates. I foundthis rate by getting onthe Dolphin website.

 

[Happy Goofy]

Now that Christmas is over this cruise seems much closer. we usually have a big Christmas Eve dinner with about a dozen people-it might have to change for next year- I"ll have to see

 

[pjstevens]

I was thinking of buying an artificial tree so that we won't have to worry about the real one dying while we are away (it's enough for my kids to keep the furbabies alive, can't expect them to keep the tree alive too). But needless to say, I've not gotten out and I'm sure all the good deals are gone.

 

[NWmom]

There is so much to think about.

I completely forgot about MVMCP. That will probably have to wait until post cruise. Our last trip to WDW, we did MNSSHP on the same night we came in from the other side of the country. It was 3am our time when we left - thank goddess the kids slept on the plane and were excited enough to stay awake and be in good spirits.

Since we are both coming from the same state, lol.
We decided to fly out of Seatac on Alaska Airlines. Being it is December and the holidays and we want to make sure there are no travel delays on portions of flights . . . or misplaced luggage, etc.

We are going to splurge for the nonstop flights. I've been looking at September flight times and eyeballing this years Christmas flights.

Seems to be two regular options -an overnight flight or a morning flight. One choice of airline for nonstop, Alaskan. Prices seem to be within $150 of other airlines with stops total comparing comparing random dates in September.

9:45 pm to 6:14 am or 8:45 am to 5:16 pm. (lloks to be later at Christmastime)

We decided the Wed overnight flight will be better for us. Still leaves some room just in case of weather etc. They also combine flights with Delta so should there be a delay, there seem to be many options.

I can't imagine what it would be like if we were boarding on the 22nd and trying to fly in.

 

[trish.]

We will also be flying in on Alaska. I have enough miles for the family so I am going to try to use my miles. As of yesterday, they were only selling as far out as November. I am crossing fingers for a nonstop. But I don't mind the connecting flights too much. Sometimes I can find a Starbucks city mug I don't really need or have room for.

We had originally booked the 22nd Western cruise but a few weeks after I changed it to the Eastern on the 15th. The price was substantial enough that it made more sense. We are staying in WDW from the 22nd until the 28th. Then we will do two days at US for the WWHP.

 

[NWmom]

You're lucky you can get your rooms settled now. I messed up in the earlier planning and caused us a problem.

When we booked the cruise (DVC points) I thought we were doing 3 nights pre cruise at OKW studio so had them leave me enough points for that. (Knew the rest post cruise would be BLT) Our membership is split.

We booked the second cruise and then discovered we are short a vacation day (so one less day pre-cruise) and a few points short to book far enough ahead.
(I had the 150 BLT points that expire September 30, 2012 in my total available --told you I messed up, lol!)
We have 101 actual points to play around with post cruise, 10 OKW, 91 BLT

We have to choose between a guaranteed room for the night of the 22nd or for the 26th. (dd's birthday is the 26th so we are leaning that way)

We can book rooms in January, but have to wait until May to book that last night and buy the few extra points we need. Hoping what we need is still available at 7 months out with it being Christmas and all. We may even end up changing resorts based on availability then. Am I missing any booking secrets to fix this?

So we know we might be gypsies that first night off ship.
Kevin secretly hopes we get Wilderness Lodge.
DD hopes we get AKV.
Skye just wants to have the room assured and to be done with details and avoid any repacking.

Any idea when they open airfare for booking for December? That I can do!

Never planning a cruise at this time of year again, too many what ifs! It's driving me nuts.

 

[trish.]

Any idea when they open airfare for booking for December? That I can do!

Never planning a cruise at this time of year again, too many what ifs! It's driving me nuts.

Honestly, I have no idea how people keep track of the DVC thing. It sounds confusing to me. I suppose it might make sense if I tried to make sense of it.

Alaska Air looks to be about 11 months out. I am I have to wait until the return date is published and not departure - haha.

Are you guys really in Seattle? I once had a job where I wore a nametag with my first name and "location" on it. I claimed Seattle, WA even though at the time I was living about an hour north.

 

[pjstevens]

Honestly, I have no idea how people keep track of the DVC thing. It sounds confusing to me. I suppose it might make sense if I tried to make sense of it.

honestly if you aren't DVC, it's way to confusing. Once you get 'hooked' it all makes sense (somehow). This is our first time using our DVC points for something other than the Disney resorts. It's left me with a few points I 'have' to use (or I'll lose, so maybe I can convince hubby that we 'need' to take a short trip before our cruise next year).

 

[trish.]

honestly if you aren't DVC, it's way to confusing. Once you get 'hooked' it all makes sense (somehow). This is our first time using our DVC points for something other than the Disney resorts. It's left me with a few points I 'have' to use (or I'll lose, so maybe I can convince hubby that we 'need' to take a short trip before our cruise next year).

Haha! Thank you for the confirmation - I KNEW it was confusing.

 

[NWmom]

Honestly, I have no idea how people keep track of the DVC thing. It sounds confusing to me. I suppose it might make sense if I tried to make sense of it.

Until May we only had the OKW membership. I had it down to a science after 14 years. We added the BLT on then and they gave us extra points for our use year that I banked and kind of forgot about. Except for Christmastime, I have never had a hard time with booking anything. That was years ago so I might just be borrowing trouble this year.

Managing points is just like having a family budget and saving up for a big expense. You can save year 1 to spend in year 2. And in year 2 you can borrow from year 3. We're cruising in year 2 with all three years points.

It is the concept of juggling the second home resort that is new and messing me up. So in a way we are back at square one. This is the first time I have had two home resorts to think about.

You get a 4 month extra booking advantage at your home resort. You just can not combine points from two home resorts until 7 months out.

I'm not complaining mind you. I feel very blessed. I am just impatient this year because I am so excited.

Are you guys really in Seattle? I once had a job where I wore a nametag with my first name and "location" on it. I claimed Seattle, WA even though at the time I was living about an hour north.

Where were you from? We are about an hour north of Seattle!
Small World.

Skye

 

[trish.]

Until May we only had the OKW membership. I had it down to a science after 14 years. We added the BLT on then and they gave us extra points for our use year that I banked and kind of forgot about. Except for Christmastime, I have never had a hard time with booking anything. That was years ago so I might just be borrowing trouble this year.

Managing points is just like having a family budget and saving up for a big expense. You can save year 1 to spend in year 2. And in year 2 you can borrow from year 3. We're cruising in year 2 with all three years points.

It is the concept of juggling the second home resort that is new and messing me up. So in a way we are back at square one. This is the first time I have had two home resorts to think about.

You get a 4 month extra booking advantage at your home resort. You just can not combine points from two home resorts until 7 months out.

I'm not complaining mind you. I feel very blessed. I am just impatient this year because I am so excited.



Where were you from? We are about an hour north of Seattle!
Small World.

Skye

I have always wanted to look into DVC, but my husband is a "I have been there and I'm ready for the next location" kind of vacationer. haha.

I grew up in Burlington. We are now in Snohomish.

 

[AmandaRG]

Happy New Year everyone! In just a few hours we will be cruising THIS YEAR!

Thankfully we have just the one resort. We have only had it for a year, so we aren't interested in adding any more confusion! Our b2b in May is on points since we had the bonus year add-on!

 

[LuvEeyore]

Happy 2012 Everyone!!

 

[NWDAD]

honestly if you aren't DVC, it's way to confusing. Once you get 'hooked' it all makes sense (somehow). This is our first time using our DVC points for something other than the Disney resorts. It's left me with a few points I 'have' to use (or I'll lose, so maybe I can convince hubby that we 'need' to take a short trip before our cruise next year).

Hmm, you haven't been talking to my DW, NWMom, have you? We are making a trip to WDW in Sept. to use some points or lose them from when we added on last year. Maybe we will see you there.

Kevin

 

[NWDAD]

Happy New Year everyone,

That means our cruise is now this year

David, Haven't heard from you in awhile and I know you and your DW have not been feeling well. Are you two doing ok now?

I have 3 whole days off. More than I had the whole month of December.

Kevin

 

[NWmom]

I grew up in Burlington. We are now in Snohomish.

We drove through Snohomish yesterday.
We're in Arlington by the airport. Less than 30 minutes away.

Wow, Walt was right. (cue the music)


It's a Small World After All. . .

Skye

 

[trish.]

We drove through Snohomish yesterday.
We're in Arlington by the airport. Less than 30 minutes away.

Wow, Walt was right. (cue the music)


It's a Small World After All. . .

Skye

Wow! Small world is right! You are super close.

Happy New Year Everyone!