Finally getting to see the lights! Nov '11 Anniversary/Holiday/F&W PTR-New 11/4 p50

[DisMomAmy]

You must have missed my post on Facebook. I deactivated my account on there a few weeks back. Just needed a break from social networking. I'll be back on there eventually, but in the meantime, I'm trying to make sure and check up on people over here.

Ooops - I guess I missed that... I'm not on facebook all that much but from time to time will check in on my friends. I understand the need for a break. I hope you are all settled into your house.

Sounds like you are feeling more comfortable with this. Grandmothers are the most awesome option , but I bet the boys will love all the games as the Sandcastle Club.

Yes - Grandmothers definitely are the best! But the Sandcastle Club will have to be second best.

 

[DisMomAmy]

It's officially official... well it will be when I make the call...

We are going to use the Sandcastle Club for the boys in November. I feel much more comfortable with the Disney club because I've been able to find a lot of good reviews online & have considered all of your positive experiences as well. Plus the fact that it's all in one room where there won't be any strangers hanging around.

I'll make the call sometime this week. Thanks for all your input!

 

[KathyRN137]

I'm definitely glad you chose the Sandcastle Club; it seems worth the cost to have that extra peace of mind!


Kathy

 

[mousescrapper]

sounds like a good plan Amy

also I now you are sad about the possibilty of NOT seeing the OL...but I wouldn't give all hope you never know... seems odd they woudln't turn lights on till after T-giving when for the last two yrs they did ???

 

[Charleston Princess]

Thumbs up from me for choosing the Sandcastle Club!

 

[mommytothreeboys]

Good choice Amy. I'm sure the boys will have a blast!

 

[Lovemy3babes]

It feels good making a decision. Good choice!

 

[DisMomAmy]

I'm definitely glad you chose the Sandcastle Club; it seems worth the cost to have that extra peace of mind!


Kathy

sounds like a good plan Amy

also I now you are sad about the possibilty of NOT seeing the OL...but I wouldn't give all hope you never know... seems odd they woudln't turn lights on till after T-giving when for the last two yrs they did ???

Thumbs up from me for choosing the Sandcastle Club!

Good choice Amy. I'm sure the boys will have a blast!

It feels good making a decision. Good choice!

Thanks everyone!! I feel good about the decision... now I just have to call & make the reservation.

And @ Julie - I'm holding out hope to see the OL... but I'm not too optimistic.

 

[DisMomAmy]

I booked our airfare this morning, but it wasn't pretty!

I had budgeted $1600, figuring that would be MORE than enough... I was wrong! I paid $1683! (We paid $79 per person each way last time!)

Fortunately we are going back in April so if I find any better deals I can re-book and get credit to use later for those flights. I would have felt much more uncomfortable with these prices if I didn't have that flexibility.

Over the past couple of days I looked around at the other options. I looked at JetBlue & AirTran out of Boston, as well as Orbitz & Travelocity to see what else was out there. There was a great $99 flight down through JetBlue but that meant leaving out of Boston & the best I could come up with for a return flight was over $300. We have already decided we are going to drive ourselves & pay for parking so it's important to fly in & out of the same airport. Parking in Boston is more expensive than Manchester, plus with JetBlue we only get one free bag each, which would be tough for us.

I also considered flying home through Tampa but that would involve keeping our rental car all week, or getting a second rental at the end of the week to drive to Tampa. A lot of jumping through hoops...

In the end, I booked us on Southwest on a 10am direct flight from Manchester to Tampa (@ $197 each) and a flight from Orlando to Manchester at 12:30 (@ $199 each). The return flight makes one stop in Philadelphia but the other option was much earlier and $30 more each. This way we can enjoy our breakfast at Captain's Grille before having to catch the ME at 9:30. (Now I have to email our flight info to our DVC owner...)

I'm not happy with the prices we had to pay, but I'll continue to watch Southwest & see if I can get some credits to use later. I was afraid if I didn't book now, the prices would just go up or we wouldn't be able to get the flight we wanted.

Now if I could just get those dates for the Osborne Lights!

 

[beebeeryan]

Yay for Sandcastles Club, decisions and most of all DATE NIGHT at WDW!!!!

Keep checking Southwest, my airfares dropped $70 each last week after I had booked it all in February. And I know I won't be able to use those credits before the year is up unless we specifically plan a trip to use them, which would not be in the budget at all. I requested a reimbursement, although I'm sure I won't get it, but it was worth the cost of a stamp and a few phone calls.

I'm curious to see what they quote you for the Sandcastle Club price too, I had said 2-3 hours, but even at 3 hours the price should not have been $92.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Congrats on getting your airfare! Sorry you had to pay so much. Keep watching them and hopefully you will be able to get a credit!

 

[DisMomAmy]

Yay for Sandcastles Club, decisions and most of all DATE NIGHT at WDW!!!!

Keep checking Southwest, my airfares dropped $70 each last week after I had booked it all in February. And I know I won't be able to use those credits before the year is up unless we specifically plan a trip to use them, which would not be in the budget at all. I requested a reimbursement, although I'm sure I won't get it, but it was worth the cost of a stamp and a few phone calls.

I'm curious to see what they quote you for the Sandcastle Club price too, I had said 2-3 hours, but even at 3 hours the price should not have been $92.

I'll keep checking Southwest. So far today, the prices have only gone up!

I booked the Sandcastle Club & was quoted $46 for two hours/two kids. Somebody must have messed up when they were talking with you...

 

[DisMomAmy]

Congrats on getting your airfare! Sorry you had to pay so much. Keep watching them and hopefully you will be able to get a credit!

Thank you!! I'm happy to have it done.

 

[mousescrapper]

on the flights, sorry it was way more than you hoped...makes me scared for us in Jan...no way will I have funds when I suspsect flights to open up sometime later this summer...

I hate admit but those prices sound good to me...in just but be pricey to fly out of Chicago compared to your neck of the woods...

some for credit use later

 

[DisMomAmy]

on the flights, sorry it was way more than you hoped...makes me scared for us in Jan...no way will I have funds when I suspsect flights to open up sometime later this summer...

I hate admit but those prices sound good to me...in just but be pricey to fly out of Chicago compared to your neck of the woods...

some for credit use later

Yikes - those prices sound good to you? Last year we had $79 per person each way. That was a super good deal as I had expected to pay about $300 per person or $1200 total. When I budgeted $1600 for this trip I thought it was high but never really expected to use it all.

January is much lower demand so you should be OK. And maybe the gas prices will stabilize a bit by then (they are coming down).

I think my flights were high because it's Veteran's Day week. A flight on the 12th (one week after our flight down) is half the price of what we paid!

 

[Lovemy3babes]

Glad you got your airfare Amy! Sorry you had to pay dearly for it though. We're still waiting for October flights. Just looking at the prices make me ill.

 

[irish dancer]

on Sandcastle Club, that was Daniel's favorite but I think it was because they had some Playstation game he liked. It is good to have it all in one room and the staff are GREAT!

Yay for getting airfare booked but on price. We lucked out and got our 5tix via Tampa for just over $1200 just last week for our June trip, it is definitely cheaper if you can fly on Tue-Thu as they jack up the prices on weekends. Keep watching though, I remember our flts for Jan dropped after we booked.

 

[DisMomAmy]

Glad you got your airfare Amy! Sorry you had to pay dearly for it though. We're still waiting for October flights. Just looking at the prices make me ill.

One of our flights went down today!

on Sandcastle Club, that was Daniel's favorite but I think it was because they had some Playstation game he liked. It is good to have it all in one room and the staff are GREAT!

Yay for getting airfare booked but on price. We lucked out and got our 5tix via Tampa for just over $1200 just last week for our June trip, it is definitely cheaper if you can fly on Tue-Thu as they jack up the prices on weekends. Keep watching though, I remember our flts for Jan dropped after we booked.

Thanks Anne Marie! I'm glad to have it booked. I think the boys will do fine especially with all the video games.

One of my flights went down!!

 

[DisMomAmy]

Woo Hoo!! I just rebooked our flight down to Tampa for a $252 credit! ($63/each) The tickets that were $197 yesterday are $134 this morning.

Our return flight is holding at $302 (booked at $199) if I search for one ticket, but shows as sold out if I search for four tickets. So I guess there won't be any credits coming from that flight.

 

[mousescrapper]

Yikes - those prices sound good to you? Last year we had $79 per person each way. That was a super good deal as I had expected to pay about $300 per person or $1200 total. When I budgeted $1600 for this trip I thought it was high but never really expected to use it all.

January is much lower demand so you should be OK. And maybe the gas prices will stabilize a bit by then (they are coming down).

well based on what I paid to travel in Jan this year...I'm thinking I'll be lucky if anything is lower than $250 rt

Keep watching though, I remember our flts for Jan dropped after we booked.

snag that didn't work for me and we had the same flight

Woo Hoo!! I just rebooked our flight down to Tampa for a $252 credit! ($63/each) The tickets that were $197 yesterday are $134 this morning.