February 7, 2009 Western early check in!

[marieeb]

Yipee Dee!!! Do it!! Do it!! I'm not booking at flights yet. I will wait for a seat sale. We usually cross the border and fly Jet Blue out of Syracuse. They are not booking flight past September yet.Ohhh it would be so nice if you guys came.

Marie

 

[deedeedubbs]

Marie,

You know how much I'd love to come!!!! I hope it is something we can swing. If I was working we could probably do it but working is not an option right now. I do my Pampered Chef shows and that would be nice if I can ramp up my bix so we can go. One thing is for certain...we can only go if it is debt free. No charges what so ever.

It would be nice if the kids were older so we could do this as an early Christmas gift but they are still too young. I could see us taking the trip as a Christmas gift and then Christmas morning them waking up and being horribly disappointed because there isn't much under the tree. Jordan might understand that Santa gave her her Christmas gift early but I don't think Bailey could comprehend that.

I'd love to do it and doing it as a Christmas gift might offer us an option. If we shorten our time in Florida in Feb to just over a week rather than 2 it might work.

Can you tell that I'm just talking out loud to myself as I'm writing? It would be so special to see you all again and the friendships that could be forged could be very lasting. Poor Bailey, though...no little boys for him.

Gotta run!

 

[brinalyn530]

Hello everyone! Sorry I haven't posted since we've been back, but every time I tried to post I took too long and lost everything. I'll try to keep it short this time.

I also am so grateful to you all for making our cruise even more special then I imagined. It is funny how we seemed to run into the same people over again and hardly ever saw others. Even after seven days I still felt like there was so much we missed - especially hanging out with my VV friends. We'll just have to do this again! The FE turned out great (we still have so much candy!) - thank you all for the goodies! It seemed to be spread out pretty well too, which kept it exciting ! Special thanks to princessmeesh and Sue for the raffle prize - the bracelets are beautiful!

Mom got sick on the cruise, Dad got her whatever it was after the cruise. Payton and I stayed healthy until last week when we shared a virus he brought home from school! I took a chance in taking him out for so many days for the trip and it kind of backfired on me - he hardly ever gets sick so I didn't figure we'd get close to that missed days threshold, but now he cannot be sick for the rest of the school year ! I'll be getting some vitamin c at the drugstore this weekend!

Well, I am eyeing the December 3rd cruise for our bounceback, with some time at WDW beforehand. It's just going to be me and Payton, so we are flying this time. I would LOVE to see Disney in all it's Christmas splendor! But the flights would be about half the price if we did the same vacation in October. We like Christmas much more than Halloween, and the only price difference is the flight, so I'm still leaning towards December. I really wish I could get one of those discount codes for the WDW part... I've been registered on the website for years and have never gotten anything. I even registered again hoping it would put me to the front of the line so to speak. We'll see if it works.

I'm going to dig out our bounceback code this evening and call to see if I can book it now. Hopefully I'll make a final decision while I'm on the phone with them. Wish me luck!

I hope we can keep in touch, and I hope to see you guys again on one cruise or another very soon!

Sabrina

 

[dceks cruisers]

I keep learning more on how to get the costs down on cruising. For our first cruise (made very special by all of you VV cruisers!) we stayed one night at CBR and did Boma for our anniversary treat and also did the DCL bus to have that experience.

Now as I check into the bounce back I'm looking for low cost all the way and it looks like staying at Hampton Inn or someplace at the port is the way to go. For the price of DCL transfer I can about get RT shuttle from airport to port and get my one night before included for same cost.

We'd like to do KSC/NASA on the bounceback and Hampton has what looks like good deals on a night stay that includes the KSC tickets too.

I'm seeing super deals on NWA flights from Mpls to Orlanda RT, non-stop for $880. I didn't dare book w/o talking to DH since it looks like the tickets are non-transferable in case he can't get the work days off. I love the airfare price but also want to make sure the bounce back is good for 12/17. Ugh...I just want it all booked and done.

Congrats Marie on your concert tickets. So, DeeDee, how about a 12/17 cruise??? OK, I've been cruising the web way too long tonight...thank goodness (or maybe not!) for night owl syndrome!

 

[dceks cruisers]

Marie, CONGRATS on booking the bounce back too!

Tonight we ate at Fuddrucker's after 2 hours of watching the kids at karate and when the gal asked for my name for the food order I said, "Minnie" and she just looked at me dumbfounded and said "Minnie????" and DH (the one that so resisted cruise #1) said, "yes, like in Minnie Mouse"

I just had to chuckle inside and then when we got our food receipt she typed Minnie as Minny....she has a ways to go but we sprinkled pixie dust in her direction!

 

[princessmeesh]

yeah! we booked it! we chose saildates november 5-8! hope to see some of you there, but i know everyone schedules are all over the place so who knows. one thing i DO know is that the VV group was very special so that will hard to come by ever again!

 

[pgsahm2]

Congrats to those that have booked bouncebacks already!!!

We're looking at 4 nights at WDW prior to the December 17 sailing. Camden's birthday is the 17th and he asked several months ago if he could celebrate his birthday at WDW one time. I didn't think we've ever get to do it but it's looking better and better!!!!! Hopefully within the next few weeks we'll decide and book it!

 

[deedeedubbs]

I am so excited for all you who have booked!

I have to agree with Michelle, this group created a high standard and I don't know if I'm ever fortunate again to cruise I'll experience the same spirit of the VV's again.

Has anyone written a trip report? I'd love to read it. I'm still working on mine and can't believe how hard it is to write it. My intention was to write a little each day while on the cruise but it never happened.

Please keep all the pix coming. I'm loving looking at all of them!

Dee

 

[dceks cruisers]

Congrats to those that have booked bouncebacks already!!!

We're looking at 4 nights at WDW prior to the December 17 sailing. Camden's birthday is the 17th and he asked several months ago if he could celebrate his birthday at WDW one time. I didn't think we've ever get to do it but it's looking better and better!!!!! Hopefully within the next few weeks we'll decide and book it!

Still crossing my fingers that all works out that we can go on 12/17. I noticed that the 12/17 meet thread I started just got posted in the meets section today.

I'll have to ask DD8, Katelyn, if she knows your two older sons. Well, I certainly hope our families can cruise together again.

Connie

 

[deedeedubbs]

Last night I mentioned to Jerry that so many of you are doing the bounce back. I was waiting for a reply...oh yeah is what I got. Then I mentioned that I've been looking at flights but nothing in reach yet financially. Then he said he doesn't have anymore vacation days left. I said you could probably get two days off without pay. He smiled. Then I said I could always go with just the kids. His reply, "And let you have all the fun without...I don't think so!"

So, he's onboard! Just have to get past the flight cost situation. We have planned to dicuss again this weekend and maybe we'll make a decision to make a down paymnet. I still have to find my coupon. We still have things we haven't even looked in since we got back from our cruise.

Wish me luck!

 

[marieeb]

OOhh Dee that would be great if you can swing it!

Connie, what is an RT shuttle? I'm all for cost saving measures... I'm going to miss you on the cruise.

I wish that we could do a VV reunion cruise. This was our first cruise and, although I have nothing to compare it too, I am so afraid the next experience will be a let down without all of you.

I haven't booked our flights yet but I am haunting airline sites, both Canadian and American, doing math and getting ready to pounce if the Canadian dollar spikes.

Take care all,
Marie

 

[patrsn]

Hello everyone!!! Just popping in to say hi, I keep in touch with most of you via Facebook, but thought I would see what was going on here.. For those of you Not on Facebook, what are you waiting for?? haha

Looks like lots of people are doing the bounceback, yay, thats my next project..I'm definately doing it I just have to figure out when I'm doing it. I haven't read all the details yet but I'm sure there are blackout dates! I'll be working on that next week. I'm worried that three days will not be enough! My 7 year old still won't look at pictures of the cruise because it makes her cry.. and she refuses to cut off that darn kids club bracelet!! I don't know if it's worth the heartache to take her back and have to leave again..

Have a good weekend everyone!

Michelle

 

[marieeb]

Hi Michelle,

Cleo is still wearing her kid's club bracelet too! When are you thinking of bouncing back?

Marie

 

[dceks cruisers]

Round trip shuttle. Doing the RT shuttle through one of the port hotels will save us money this time since the cost of the DCL transfer was nearly the same cost as what I've seen for Hampton Inns 1 night stay that included the RT shuttle.

Gotta keep finding whatever money savers I can find. We have Southwest entering the Minneapolis market and I think NWA is responding to that threat already. Finally, some nice airline competition happening here!

I need to get on Facebook and join up with everyone! I'm somewhat afraid of how addicted and time consumed I'll be once I join.

Kids are off from school today but not around. Katelyn is at a day fieldtrip and then attending Kidstop (at school kidcare program) and DS13 Erik is gone much like he was on the ship...he slept over at a friends house and will be hanging out with his buddies today like every day. Usually they are here at our house so I am enjoying the QUIET!

Have a great day everyone!

 

[margolyn]

Hey Everyone....

I thought we had to wait unitl April 3 to book the bounceback - can we book them now? Also, they let you have in December? I'll probably put this out on FB too... we plan to do it and I'd LOVE To get it SCHEDULED!!!

Any insights and man, do I feel stupid

Margo

 

[dceks cruisers]

Hey Everyone....

I thought we had to wait unitl April 3 to book the bounceback - can we book them now? Also, they let you have in December? I'll probably put this out on FB too... we plan to do it and I'd LOVE To get it SCHEDULED!!!

Any insights and man, do I feel stupid

Margo

Don't feel stupid at all. I read on some other thread that people were booking already. I checked it out and what you can do is to reserve your trip today and then check after 4/6 to see if that date is not blacked out. If it is, just move the date to another one but this way if you book now and it's not, you can get better choice in room.

You just send in your voucher after the date and they will adjust the price to the $99 rate.

I didn't book airfare yet although I'd love to since I'm seeing the best rates I've EVER seen on Round Trip with no layovers either way from MPLS to MCO with the times I want/need for all 4 of us for $880. I'm booked on 12/17 but there are a few other dates that other VV's are booked for.

Maybe what we do on this BB cruise is we are actually "recruiting" future VV's to join our initial group and we all join up again on a long 7 day in a year or so with the original VVs and our recruited VV members !

 

[margolyn]

THANKS!

And yes on the airfares. Scary how good they are right now. Delta dropped fares out of Cinci for the first time EVER!

Have a great day!

 

[pgsahm2]

Hey guys! Can you believe it's now been over a month since we set sail?

We are booked for the December 17 cruise. I can't believe we're able to go back again this year. And I have to keep this one a secret too!

I have a question for those of you that are WDW experts. We'll be spending 4 nights there prior to the cruise and visiting the parks. I've always have park hoppers before but this time I think we'll save the money. Is it more difficult to visit the parks without park hoppers? I'm a little nervous about it and would like any advice you can possible give me. I have always found the park hoppers to be great so I need to learn how to do the parks without them!

Hope everyone is doing well! I'm so ready for spring!

 

[MyLove4Disney]

Looks like many of you are going to do the 12/17 bb,

What other dates are VV going. It looks like we wouldn't be able to make that date, it will be during finals week for Monica (She's going to California State University in Fullerton Ca, right next to Disneyland) looks like she is even getting a scholarship, shocking...

Meg, SoCalDCLFan, Any advise on inexpensive appartments, close to the campus would be appreciated. Even if the advices about areas we should stay away from.

I hope you did well on your testing. She will have to connect up with you guys when you visit the DL.

We are probably coming down the weekend of 3/28/09 for the naming ceromoney of the perfomaning arts center at the university and of course going to DL too.

 

[dceks cruisers]

Amanda, congrats on booking. We'll have to connect on the 12/17 BB! I'm watching the airline rates and the prices are still good.

Susan....congrats to your daughter on the scholarship! Keep us posted on you BB date!

We're in WI at a karate tournament. I have yet to have a "do nothing" weekend since the cruise. Last weekend I got a Disney fix by going to Disney on Ice at the Target Center in Mpls. I went with Kate, DD8, her good friend that's 8, (Megan) and Megan's mom Lisa. We told the girls we were taking them to a movie downtown with a mega screen. The girls didn't even realize they were going Disney on Ice until we walked into the seating area and saw the ice. It was a really fun time.

I'm really liking some nice weather (ha, 40's and 50's). This is especially nice after getting a fresh batch of snow last Tuesday that was followed by 0 and minus 0 for a few days. That's harsh when I'm still thinking of the warm ocean breezes!

Take care all! Connie