DISers stalking DISers...continuing our friendship!

[MAGGIED]

DM - love those orange scones..... but mine are better!!! My grandmother gave me a great recipe....

 

[Disneyolic]

DM - love those orange scones..... but mine are better!!! My grandmother gave me a great recipe....

Well, since you live nearby - and work even closer - you will just have to prove it to me!

 

[mandy200587]

Actually no bread place, it's a family ran place in town.

 

[MAGGIED]

Well, since you live nearby - and work even closer - you will just have to prove it to me!

If I tried to walk out the door with them my DS would hit me over the head with the rolling pin....

Good news maybe... I just got off the phone with the band director and there might be a change to our trip next year... we are scheduled to take the band to the McDonalds Thanksgiving Day parade in Chicago.... quite an honor (or so I am told)... well we priced out the trip... almost $700 per student for 2 nights so he says to me.....are you ready......."Why don't we just take them to Disney for 5 days"..... and then" Will you help me plan it?"
Planning a trip for 80 students and 10 adults.... I might be crazy.... but I can't wait!!!!

 

[mandy200587]

That's awesome Maggied. My mom's boss will be in Disney this month hopefully to see his kids in the elementary choir sing.



Who knows maybe in a few years I may be there.

 

[sunlver]

Someone save me. I just spent two hours cleaning than as I finish my dad gets home, there goes my clean kitchen.


And it's going to take two hours to copy my music to my desktop. Coffee and tea anyone?

Well if your taking orders, hot green tea with 2 Splenda's please

 

[mandy200587]

Now how do you guys except me to get the drinks to ya? Pull a Genie from Aladdin or a Dream of Jeannie and bam! it's there.

 

[CourtneyandRyan]

I guess I'll throw in my opinion here too.

Last year, I had actually booked an off-site hotel.... I was convinced we were saving money... Then, I learned about the dining plan. You see, me and Ryan are FOOD LOVERS!!!! We love food. And we LOVE to eat out. Movies, no. Concerts, no (other than our summer passes to the waterpark that I mentioned a few days ago). We spend all of our "fun" money going to dinner. So, once I learned of the dining plan, it was a must. So, then, POP became a must since you have to stay on site. I won't do it differently.... For now, for us, staying on-site is a MUST. But, I understand that it may change with children, additional members joining you on your trip, etc. But we actually save money staying on-site, using magical express (which we loved by the way), and doing the dining plan.

 

[mandy200587]

See I love staying on site and we've always had a version of the DDP. I love breakfast food, it is one of my weaknesses. I love being able to go back to the hotel and relax. I do spend money on concerts, got two I'm going to this year. So after those concerts I have to save for a trip to Galtinburg for a wedding. Then save for Florida and hopefully a wicked awesome 21st.

 

[castawaymam]

[QUOTE

I have thought that it would be really cool to rent a vacation home for a week and have the whole family stay (brother's family, mom & dad) but then my Disney mind knows that I would probably be missing staying onsite. Call me spoiled with that![/QUOTE]

DM, we did that, back in 02. It was DH family, FIL, MIL, SIL with her DH and 2 kids, StePSIL and her DH and 3 kids and us(4). We rent a nice 4 bedroom house for four days. It had a screen in pool. Was great. Believe it was in Kissimee area.

 

[Disneyolic]

If I tried to walk out the door with them my DS would hit me over the head with the rolling pin....

so he says to me.....are you ready......."Why don't we just take them to Disney for 5 days"..... and then" Will you help me plan it?"
Planning a trip for 80 students and 10 adults.... I might be crazy.... but I can't wait!!!!

Okay. I guess it's a tea and scones ladies night at your house! It'll only take me about 15 minutes to get there. Also, I think it would be fun planning all that. I absolutely love planning!

Now how do you guys except me to get the drinks to ya? Pull a Genie from Aladdin or a Dream of Jeannie and bam! it's there.

Well, you offered...we took you up on the offer. We don't care how you do it!

 

[tnmomof4]

This is totally off the subject... but I just watched the video of Daniel Powter singing the song Disney had him write. It is a video from Disneyland. It is really awesome. It is on Disney.com. http://home.disney.go.com/travel/
I hope you guys like it as much as I do.

 

[SingingMom]

I feel for every family that wants to take their kids to Disney, but can't afford to... that's why I am happy to see the different levels of resorts available at so many price ranges. I wish more of those options were available for my parents, raising a family of four children.

Our financial situation is much more comfortable than my parents, and we only have one child. Because of that, there are more options available to us. But, I'm one of those people that also puts a price on time, convenience, and reduction of stress. lol Staying offsite for me means added STRESS. I think some of the "savings" of staying offsite sort of "wash" in the end, if you do take some things into consideration. Strictly dollars and cents, maybe it's cheaper, but add in some of the "perks" for staying onsite, and sometimes the savings isn't all that much.

Of course - when you add specifics to your needs - like joining rooms, kitchen facilities, etc... things do change.

In the end - it is whatever works the best for your family. I am a firm believer in making "family memories" together, whether that's a special Disney vacation, or just spreading a picnic blanket on the lawn in the backyard and running through the sprinkler. These are things our children can look back at fondly and remember, "my family loved me!"

 

[SingingMom]

Okay. I guess it's a tea and scones ladies night at your house! It'll only take me about 15 minutes to get there. Also, I think it would be fun planning all that. I absolutely love planning!

Well, you offered...we took you up on the offer. We don't care how you do it!

Tea and scones! My favorite! Earl Grey, black... or Mocha Cappuchino. (my REAL favorite... we even named the DOG that!)

My new routine on my "non-work" days is
1. drop Dana at school
2. attend 8am mass
3. go to Starbucks for Peppermint Mocha, skim milk, light whip, and a blueberry scone!

Am I bad, or what???!

 

[karibritt01]

We LIKE having a car, and we like being able to come and go as we please. I am not one for waiting for buses. If the kids are cranky... then I want to leave right then and there, no waiting around for me.I like being able to come back and forth to the parks with no waiting.

We drive to WDW, but last year we only used the car twice. Once because we stayed in the park to long to use the bus to get to HDDR, and once to buy film and batteries at CVS. To us, it was just so convenient to sit and relax, and let someone else handle the driving.

We liked the DDP. If we were paying OOP for each meal, then we would probably do the same as you... CS and cheaper restaurants off property. However, last year we really enjoyed getting to sit and relax in the evenings for an hour or so. The CS places are loud and busy, and I never feel like I've had "down time." DDP allowed us to eat at all the places we wouldn't have considered otherwise. I also like having everything paid before I get there... makes it less stressful to not see that high bill after your meal! We do breakfast in our room... either a bowl of cereal or pop tarts or something. We also bring snacks and water... not wasting those snack credits on water!

We also really take advantage of the EMH. My kids are night owls, and we stayed through the end of EMH every evening. To us, it was worth the extra money to have that 3 hours of minimal crowds.

Has anyone ever used the Disney Magical Express?

My sis did it last year and liked it. I agree with DM... she can pack her carry on to hold her over until the luggage arrives, or pick up her luggage herself. I personally would just get my own luggage, and not have to worry about it.

even if your little ones are having a melt down (I know mine did sometimes when they were little) by the time you walk to your car

My kids both lost it both times we had our car there. They would go all night without a problem, but for some reason the walk to the car was too much for them! Also, IMO the wait for the ferry or monorail is about the same as the wait for the bus. With the exception of the buses at DTD...

 

[mandy200587]

I'm having way to much fun with the computer. I got a little remote for my music, movies, photos. Heck I can watch trailers on my computer now.

 

[Disneyolic]

Interesting thoughts regarding car vs bus. On our last visit to the MK we had a rental car. I remember the tram going by the row our car was parked in and kept going and going. It seemed like a very far walk just to get back to the our car. On the other hand, it always seemed very convenient with the busses being nearby...just my own opinion...

 

[karibritt01]

I remember the tram going by the row our car was parked in

What I remember about the tram is you were likely to get run down! Seems the speed limit in the parking lots don't apply to them...

 

[Crazy Kanga]

H i everyone. Happy almost Friday!
I have to chime in on the on/off site talk. I have stayed off site once and hated it. It was free, and I would have gladly paid almost any amount of money to be onsite, but we were on an extended family trip at Oblivia's time share so we were stuck. I totally understand the whole budget thing, but still, if ever given the choice it is save up a little longer for on site, or nothing.

 

[MAGGIED]

I just need to share for a minute... my DD has been dating the same young man for 3 years... wonderful family... we like them all very much... his grandparents were involved in a serious car accident today and he just called to tell us they took his grandfather off life support... my heart goes out to this family... they are just the nicest people you could meet... they have always treated my daughter like one of there own...it is so very sad......