"Do You Mind?" - Disney Adventures with Teens August Trip Report

[Grandma Bonnie]

Mom has been wanting to move here for several years, but has been waiting until Jo's kids are a little older so she won't be needed to help get them to appointments, babysit, etc. so much.

Mom is buying a condo here, which Jo's family will rent from her until they sell their Memphis home and find a new home here. Mom is getting her house ready to go on the market.

Mom's condo close is August 4th, but Jo needs to be physically here July 25th. So she and the kids are moving here, into my house, for a couple of weeks. This will be no different from their vacation here in our house earlier this summer.

So, that all said, Mom (and Jo) have been very, very busy over the past couple of weeks.

So with the above information we will add that I drove back down to Austin (the infamous 11 hour drive) to "house-hunt". After a very full weekend going through a dozen homes/condos, I carefully weighed the "pros" and "cons" on each option. Susan, Haley, and Katie went through all the houses with me, taking pictures/videos and making comments. Then, when I narrowed my choices to two, we added Chris to the equation. I took him to check out the foundation, etc. on the final two options. This was a great help. God Bless Sons-in-law!!!

Susan made notes on each house and had written on one house's notes "Mom is hesitant....don't know why." I went back through the house again with the realtor and realized that I really did like this house/condo best. But, here's the reason I was hesitant......the house (unattached condo) is on Joseph Drive. Does that ring a bell with anyone? (Susan's dad, my ex, is named Joseph) I decided THAT was my problem!!! Does anyone know how to get an existing street's name changed?

Well, anyway, I got over IT! Now I'm dealing with lenders, appraisals, inspectors, listing agent, my agent, and banks. Joann is still packing and showing her house and dealing with moving companies.

We are both going to Austin this Friday to stay at Susan's house (with all three kids in tow) so she can move into her new office and I can close on the condo. Then, her husband is going to drive down with the movers and move their "home" into my condo.

While they are doing all that.......I'M GOING TO DISNEYWORLD!!!!!!

 

[irene_dsc]

Congrats, Bonnie, on the new condo! I hope you can get over the street name!

And, I'm sooo glad I'm not doing all that itinerary waffling right now!

(Just need to plan for our camping trip this weekend)

 

[scottny]

I would have flown into Disney friday, stayed at a value and then Saturday had them move my bags to the resort.

 

[Native NYer]

I would have flown into Disney friday, stayed at a value and then Saturday had them move my bags to the resort.

That's a great idea.

 

[swwake]

I would have flown into Disney friday, stayed at a value and then Saturday had them move my bags to the resort.

Yeah, but that would have added $600 to our trip, before the cost of the one-night at the value resort. We decided to save the money.

The doggies will be more comfortable staying at Dad's kennel.

 

[swwake]

18 Days!!!!!

No special significance to that. It's just less than 19 days.

And it really means 17 days to us, since we are leaving the 8th.

Three weeks from right now, we will be having lunch at 50's Prime Time Cafe.
Elbows OFF the table!

 

[swwake]

Congrats, Bonnie, on the new condo! I hope you can get over the street name!

And, I'm sooo glad I'm not doing all that itinerary waffling right now!

(Just need to plan for our camping trip this weekend)

I'm glad I'm done with the waffling.

The condo is really nice. It's really a house. It's pretty new. Just perfect for Mom.

Have fun camping!

 

[Native NYer]

18 Days!!!!!

No special significance to that. It's just less than 19 days.

And it really means 17 days to us, since we are leaving the 8th.

Three weeks from right now, we will be having lunch at 50's Prime Time Cafe.
Elbows OFF the table!

Yay!!!! I can't wait. I want my grey goose slushie!!!

 

[swwake]

Off topic.

Has anyone ever tried Zip Fizz? I found some at the store the other day. I just put it in my water. Is it supposed to kinda burn your esophagus when it goes down? And it's making me a little jittery-feeling. Hard to focus.

I'm thinking maybe this wasn't such a good idea. I may send it to Voldemort for the next time he's out of mixers.

 

[Native NYer]

Off topic.

Has anyone ever tried Zip Fizz? I found some at the store the other day. I just put it in my water. Is it supposed to kinda burn your esophagus when it goes down? And it's making me a little jittery-feeling. Hard to focus.

I'm thinking maybe this wasn't such a good idea. I may send it to Voldemort for the next time he's out of mixers.

I've never heard of Zip Fizz.

Voldemort would try it. He's like Mikey, he'll try anything (almost!). But his name isn't Mikey, it's Alex

 

[swwake]

I've never heard of Zip Fizz.

Voldemort would try it. He's like Mikey, he'll try anything (almost!). But his name isn't Mikey, it's Alex

We really don't need to go into details of what he will try. I thought you were keeping his name a secret.

 

[swwake]

So I am reading an allears newsletter and it's talking about the "opening show" at DHS. I know there is an opening show at MK too. I have a question.

Can you see these opening shows and still be close to the front of the lines for big attractions at rope drop? Meaning: MK, for example, if we are at the train station for the opening ceremonies, does the rope drop happen immediately after? Does that mean we can't be at the rope to make the run for Space Mountain?

Same with DHS. Can we see the opening show and still make it to ToT or RNRC?

Chris and I were talking last weekend. We don't plan to go commando (in any sense of the word ); however, we aren't opposed to getting up early enough to make it to park openings to avoid longer lines later in the day. So I think we may get to experience some of these openings. I doubt the girls will. They are teenagers and need their beauty rest.

On past trips, we also valued our sleep more. We never wanted to get up early enough to make park openings. But now, even on weekends, we find ourselves up at around 7am, so making it for a 9am opening wouldn't be too big of a deal. Especially if it means less stressful touring time.

 

[dddisrunner]

Hi Susan,

It all depends, at AK,Epcot and DHS they will let you in the turnstiles around 15 minutes early and then stop you before you can fork off into any direction and that is where you will see the opening shows and then at 9am or whenever the "actual" park opening is, they will let you fully into the park. The MK is a little different. They will let you into the turnstiles about 15 minutes early and then you stay there until after the opening show. This is where it is a little confusing, you then go into the MK and then there is another rope drop to enter all the different lands. I hope that helped and didn't confuse you even more!

 

[swwake]

Hi Susan,

It all depends, at AK,Epcot and DHS they will let you in the turnstiles around 15 minutes early and then stop you before you can fork off into any direction and that is where you will see the opening shows and then at 9am or whenever the "actual" park opening is, they will let you fully into the park. The MK is a little different. They will let you into the turnstiles about 15 minutes early and then you stay there until after the opening show. This is where it is a little confusing, you then go into the MK and then there is another rope drop to enter all the different lands. I hope that helped and didn't confuse you even more!

No, I think that clarifies it, actually

So there are effectively 2 rope drops at MK and only one at the other parks. And no need to miss the opening "show" at any of the parks. Right?

 

[dddisrunner]

Actually, the show at Epcot is not really a show. The Test Track car comes out with a chosen family and then they do a countdown and then the car zooms away. A few characters come out and high five some people right next to the ropes. This is one you could miss and be OK with. The Animal Kingdom one is hard to see if you are not right up near the front of the masses and the same at DHS although both of these shows are cute! The Magic Kingdom one is my FAVE and the only one I HAVE to see!

 

[dddisrunner]

As a side note, the show at Epcot would be tough for you to get to anyway, because if you are going to use the International Gateway from the Beach Club, you will be held at the entrance to Future World until the park actually opens!

 

[swwake]

As a side note, the show at Epcot would be tough for you to get to anyway, because if you are going to use the International Gateway from the Beach Club, you will be held at the entrance to Future World until the park actually opens!

Thanks for all the info.

Is the entrance at Future World, coming from the International Gateway, close enough to beat the "REAL" rope droppers to Soarin'? Or at least close enough to get there about the same time?

If we really want to do the Soarin' dash, we might have to leave WAY early and take a bus to TTC, then monorail to Epcot. Ugh.

 

[Donald is #1]

So here's the itinerary update.

After Miss Smarty Pants told me that she can't help me because we didn't let AAA book our air, I called NWA and sat on hold forever. As I was doing that, I was clicking around on the website. I finally figured out that I could change it online and supposedly nothing would change until I confirmed the new itinerary and pricing.

So I'm scribbling notes about timed and flights and even dates. I figured out that we could fly from Austin for a minimal difference in price, but only if we flew out on Friday morning at 6am, arriving MCO at noon. Flying out on Saturday was completely cost-prohibitive.

I did some quick math (savings on round-trip gas, dog boarding fees, etc) and convinced myself that doing the Friday flight from Austin was the better option, at only an overall increase of $98.50 for all of us together. Less than $20 per person.

Plus, it gives us another half day in Orlando and/or the WDW area to play around, and extends our first day Saturday to a FULL day.

However - The glitch is this. Now we would need a hotel room for Friday night in Orlando. I might be able to use points for this. But then how will we get around? Do we get a room near the airport, then use ME on Saturday to get to BC? Or do we get closer to WDW and rent a car or take a town car or something? I found a Radisson maingate for only $72 for the night. That sounded good.

But then we wouldn't get to use ME. That was the clincher for me. After agonizing over the weekend about whether to claim our luggage or let ME take care of it, and finally reaching closure on that issue, now I'm facing it again. Only this time, we don't get the WHOLE magical experience of being immersed in Disney fun the minute we skip off the jetway.

Oh yeah, and that little thing about how the $500 we save on boarding fees, I realized, wasn't really a savings. Because, whether my sister takes care of the dogs in Austin or my dad keeps them at his Jackson kennel, I still save $500. So that was just bad math.

At the end of the day, I decided we'll keep our original itinerary and do the 11-hour road trip part of the adventure. We'll have plenty of fun.

Maybe we'll play Zip in the car.

Your brain has been on overload! I'd have a headache!!!

Could you leave Friday, but stay in a Disney hotel? You could still use ME.

The road trip will be a fun way to start the vacation.




Just don't play canasta in the car

Yeah, but that would have added $600 to our trip, before the cost of the one-night at the value resort. We decided to save the money.

The doggies will be more comfortable staying at Dad's kennel.

OK, I'm very confused. I thought that the cost of the additional airfare was just $100. So wouldn't the additional cost of 1 more day at WDW be $100 plus the cost of that value resort?

 

[swwake]

OK, I'm very confused. I thought that the cost of the additional airfare was just $100. So wouldn't the additional cost of 1 more day at WDW be $100 plus the cost of that value resort?

Yeah, except for this part:

Oh yeah, and that little thing about how the $500 we save on boarding fees, I realized, wasn't really a savings. Because, whether my sister takes care of the dogs in Austin or my dad keeps them at his Jackson kennel, I still save $500. So that was just bad math.

I was doing dumb math. Accountants don't work well without calculators.

 

[Donald is #1]

Yeah, except for this part:

Oh yeah, and that little thing about how the $500 we save on boarding fees, I realized, wasn't really a savings. Because, whether my sister takes care of the dogs in Austin or my dad keeps them at his Jackson kennel, I still save $500. So that was just bad math.

I was doing dumb math. Accountants don't work well without calculators.

Aw!

I was doing dumb math. Accountants don't work well without calculators.

My father was an accountant and he would say the same thing. He always told me that accountants can't add, they use adding machines. (Yes this was in the days when calculators were first coming out.)