Gearing Up For a Birthmasiversary With the Mouse! - A Dec 09 PTR

[JoJo1980]

Get on the bus girl, there's still plenty of room! Just you, me, and Ty as far as I can tell!

Yay! I love finding people with around the same amount of time to wait, maybe we can all keep each other some level of sane!

I'm glad you like the itinerary! Some of my non-Disney-addict friends have looked at it and told me I was nuts, scheduling everything out like that. But the way I see it, when other people are standing around scratching their behinds, staring at park maps, arguing over what to do next, standing in line for a dinner table for over an hour, and having a less than magical time... our vacation will be on track and smooth sailing.

Maybe we'll bump into each other at MVMCP! It's my first one, and I'm sooo excited. And the Ohana thing is funny! Who knows, depending on how fast you eat, maybe we'll get your table once ya'll clear out.

Awww, you are so sweet, thank you for the compliment! Though I think we look pretty cute together, too. He's so much darker than me (he's east Indian, his parents are immigrants from Fiji), and I'm so pale, I think the contrast is hilarious. And do you have ANY idea how happy I was to fall for a guy taller than me? I'm 6'0'' when I'm running around barefoot, I'd about given up on ever being able to look UP into a guy's eyes. He's 6'3'', and I looooove it.

I'm rambling. Off to subscribe to your PTR now!

Woohoo! I'm on the bus Can I have that sparkly seat on the second row please? The purple & blue one with all the glitter, I love anything that sparkles at me

Sane?!?! What does that word mean? You dont hear much of that on here Looks like more people are getting on the bus They better not pinch my seat or there will be trouble!!

I totally agree that planning leads to a more magical and stress free trip, I'd rather stress during the planning than while i'm there. Guess its ok if you've been lots of times before and just do what you fancy when you fancy it - but if you've never been at certain times of the year and want to do LOADS of things, then some planning and organising needs doing. Don't worry, we can all drive each other insane with our planning rambles - infact, i'm probably one of the worst for second guessing myself and wanting to change every plan every 5 seconds

Hopefully we will bump into each other at MVMCP, it's our first time too - we've never had a december trip before & are soooo sooo sooo excited!! I'll make sure that we leave the table neat and tidy at Ohana, just incase Although I am planning on drinking quite a few lapu lapu's as i've never had them before, so you mind find me under the table by the time you get there

Having a taller guy is great, I love the idea of gazing up into someone's eyes

Looks like I caught your ramble bug will let you have your thread back now

Countdown: 60 days left!

Well, Ron and I got paid this morning, and Mickey Mouse just took about half our paychecks. He'll get the rest of his money over the course of the next two weeks!

Workin' on gettin' that balance down, it will be soooo nice when I finally hear those beautiful words: "Paid in full!" Two more weeks, two more weeks, two more weeks...

YAAAAAAAAAY for giving mickey money (I love the way you phrased that by the way ) and extra YAY for 60 days

I need to double check what date we need to pay our balance by, good job you reminded me!!

 

[jenbear123]

But the way I see it, when other people are standing around scratching their behinds, staring at park maps, arguing over what to do next, standing in line for a dinner table for over an hour, and having a less than magical time... our vacation will be on track and smooth sailing.

This was me and my family back in February '08. That'll NEVER happen again as long as I'm going to Disney

 

[Elevationist]

Ladies, I need your thoughts on Crocs.

I hate, repeat, I HATE, sneakers. But it's hard for me to imagine spending 14 hours a day in a theme park wearing anything else.

I really really want to find some sort of shoe that breathes! And that I won't have to worry about my sock/shoes getting wet on Splash Mountain or Kali River!

If you're a Croc lover, what style do you like best and why? Should I go for original Crocs? Do their sandal styles provide the same amount of comfort and support?

These are on close-out, and I like the style of them, they look like something I would buy for running errands and such. (I can't do thong-style sandals, like flops, because they KILL my toes!)

Or since my primary objective is comfort and support, should I stick with a more "traditional" Croc shoe, like these? What do ya'll think?

Also, how do you find that the sizes run? Big or small? I wear a women's 12-13 and a men's 10-11, so sometimes finding shoes is a big pain in the butt!

Please, any and all suggestions welcome!

 

[jenbear123]

I fell in love with the Cleo style Croc. I have two pairs (one white, one brown) and absolutely LOVE them. They are pretty similar to the ones you linked to that are on clear out. Have worn them on all my trips to the World. If you have a high arc, these will probably not give you enough support. Even so, my feet seem to have a higher arc than usual and I still find them really comfy. I don't think you'll be disappointed with the comfort. The little "bumps" take a little getting used to but my suggestion is to wear them around the house first. Once you work them in, they are delightful They are still comfortable even when wet. The sizes tend to be on the smaller side. I'd say get a size up from your regular shoe size to be on the safe side. I'm a woman's size 8 and my feet JUST fit. Toes are right before the edge. This works for me though but it might bother others. Best thing to do is to find a Croc store and try them on first. Then you'll really know what works and what doesn't

 

[Elevationist]

I fell in love with the Cleo style Croc. I have two pairs (one white, one brown) and absolutely LOVE them. They are pretty similar to the ones you linked to that are on clear out. Have worn them on all my trips to the World. If you have a high arc, these will probably not give you enough support. Even so, my feet seem to have a higher arc than usual and I still find them really comfy. I don't think you'll be disappointed with the comfort. The little "bumps" take a little getting used to but my suggestion is to wear them around the house first. Once you work them in, they are delightful They are still comfortable even when wet. The sizes tend to be on the smaller side. I'd say get a size up from your regular shoe size to be on the safe side. I'm a woman's size 8 and my feet JUST fit. Toes are right before the edge. This works for me though but it might bother others. Best thing to do is to find a Croc store and try them on first. Then you'll really know what works and what doesn't

OOH OOH OOH! I loooove those! Love love love!

I might have to find a Croc store to try some out, it sounds like. The highest their women's sizes go is a 12. I can usually only wear a ladies 12 if they either (1) run a bit big, or (2) are a wide width. Otherwise, I need a ladies 13, which Crocs doesn't make in any of the cute sandal styles, just the traditional ones. And of course, all the styles I like best don't also come in a 13, and the ones that do are all so ugly. I'll sacrafice style for comfort if I have to, though.

I suppose I could do some reading and see what their return policy is for online orders. Worst case scenario, they don't fit and I send them back.

Oh! But I do so LOVE those Cleos you just linked me! The brown/pink ones are sooooo cute!!!!

 

[TiggerAllie]

Love the "birth-mas-iversary" terminology! Looks like there's a new PTR party over here on your thread!

 

[TiggerAllie]

Oh yeah, and I love KEENs! The men's and women's are essentially the same, just different color options, so you could definitely try the mens.

http://www.keenfootwear.com/product/ss09/shoes/women/waterfront/whisper/beet red! gargoyle

 

[Elevationist]

Love the "birth-mas-iversary" terminology! Looks like there's a new PTR party over here on your thread!

Hehe, thanks! And I love parties!

Oh yeah, and I love KEENs! The men's and women's are essentially the same, just different color options, so you could definitely try the mens.

http://www.keenfootwear.com/product/ss09/shoes/women/waterfront/whisper/beet red! gargoyle

Oh sweet! I'll have to look into them!

 

[Elevationist]

UPDATE!

I've been thinking alot about our transportation options, particularly the road trip portion of our trip. Ya see, my 2001 Dodge Neon is fine for running around my little town, but I'm not so confident in it for a 5+ hour drive each way.

So after some discussion and research, Ron and I have decided to get a rental car for our road trip down to WDW and back! This will be a first for me, as I've never rented a car before.

There's only one major rental agency right here in my town, Enterprise. We checked rates, and it looks like for the week it's going to be around $200 for the economy class. (Which is fine by me, we were gonna drive down in my NEON, for crying out loud! )

As I'm a newb to rental cars, I am curious... Is that as good of a rate as it seems? Are there things I should maybe know before hand? Hidden fees to watch out for? Any advice is appreciated!

Also, is it customary to pay for it at the time of booking, or can I just go ahead and reserve it tomorrow? If I have to pay anything it will have to wait until my paycheck on October 30th.

Let me know what ya'll think!

 

[disneyaddicted]

I rented a mini van for my first trip, it was $800.00 for a week, that included extra insurance. (you will want that) I think $200 for the week is reasonable. Make sure before you drive it off the lot you check for every little dent or ding and point it out to them, also check that the windows work, AC or Heat etc...etc... I was able to reserve and then pay in full when I went to pick it up. It was enterprise that I rented from. It turned out to be the best thing ever, no worries about what to do for car trouble. no wear and tear on oyur own vehicle, They do make you returnit with a full tank though. But they gave it to us with a full tank too.

Croc! I love the caymens, and the mammoths, Caymens are good for air circulation. The bumps took a little getting used to, I ended up wearing them with no show socks. If it rains take the socks off, your shoes will get wet, but your socks wont, then they will be all nice for you when it stops raining.

But... I am declaring a no rain week at Disney!! I have done the no rain dance. This will cover all of our travel dates.

I completely understand about starting a PTR, always worried that no one will read. I keep reminding myself it's really just for me anyway, but I like to have the company. Your PTR is taking off though. It is real interesting, I am emjoying it.

 

[Elevationist]

rented a mini van for my first trip, it was $800.00 for a week, that included extra insurance. (you will want that) I think $200 for the week is reasonable. Make sure before you drive it off the lot you check for every little dent or ding and point it out to them, also check that the windows work, AC or Heat etc...etc... I was able to reserve and then pay in full when I went to pick it up. It was enterprise that I rented from. It turned out to be the best thing ever, no worries about what to do for car trouble. no wear and tear on oyur own vehicle, They do make you returnit with a full tank though. But they gave it to us with a full tank too.

Oh, this is so encouraging, thank you! I wonder what the rate will go up to with the extra insurance? I don't think we're willing/able to go more than $300 total. Hmmm.

But... I am declaring a no rain week at Disney!! I have done the no rain dance. This will cover all of our travel dates.

I'll join that rain dance!

I completely understand about starting a PTR, always worried that no one will read. I keep reminding myself it's really just for me anyway, but I like to have the company. Your PTR is taking off though. It is real interesting, I am enjoying it. [/B]

Oh, yay! I'm so glad! I was so afraid it would just be a snoozefest. I'm very chatty though, so I hope to keep it fun for anybody who wants to read along!

 

[Christina3891]

Oh, this is so encouraging, thank you! I wonder what the rate will go up to with the extra insurance? I don't think we're willing/able to go more than $300 total. Hmmm.
QUOTE]

Check your current insurance policy as most policies cover rentals. So needless to say you wouldn't need the expensive rental insurance if you are already covered through your insurance provider.

 

[Christina3891]

Ladies, I need your thoughts on Crocs.

I hate, repeat, I HATE, sneakers. But it's hard for me to imagine spending 14 hours a day in a theme park wearing anything else.

I really really want to find some sort of shoe that breathes! And that I won't have to worry about my sock/shoes getting wet on Splash Mountain or Kali River!

If you're a Croc lover, what style do you like best and why? Should I go for original Crocs? Do their sandal styles provide the same amount of comfort and support?

These are on close-out, and I like the style of them, they look like something I would buy for running errands and such. (I can't do thong-style sandals, like flops, because they KILL my toes!)

Or since my primary objective is comfort and support, should I stick with a more "traditional" Croc shoe, like these? What do ya'll think?

Also, how do you find that the sizes run? Big or small? I wear a women's 12-13 and a men's 10-11, so sometimes finding shoes is a big pain in the butt!

Please, any and all suggestions welcome!

Check out the Disney Crocs! I own a pair of the pearl/pink as a backup to my wedding heels. http://www.crocs.com/crocs-disney-minnie-mouse-mary-jane/10163,default,pd.html?q=disney and http://www.crocs.com/crocs-disney-mickey-mouse-beach/10037,default,pd.html?q=disney

 

[Elevationist]

Check your current insurance policy as most policies cover rentals. So needless to say you wouldn't need the expensive rental insurance if you are already covered through your insurance provider.

Oooh, that would be great, thanks for the tip! Also, I have pretty lousy credit, so I'm scared of what kind of fees/deposits/whatever they're gonna slap me with.

Check out the Disney Crocs! I own a pair of the pearl/pink as a backup to my wedding heels. http://www.crocs.com/crocs-disney-minnie-mouse-mary-jane/10163,default,pd.html?q=disney and http://www.crocs.com/crocs-disney-mickey-mouse-beach/10037,default,pd.html?q=disney

Oh, those are sooo cute! Shame that the red ones are the only color available in my size! (DBF detests the way clog-style Crocs look, so I promised him I wouldn't get any loud colors. )

 

[Elevationist]

ADR/Itinerary Update!

I wonder at what point I'm going to stop "tweaking" things?

I happened to mention the Clam Bake dinner at Cape May Cafe to DBF tonight, and he wanted to know more. So I link him the menu from allears.net ... Guess where we're eating after Fantasmic now, instead of going to Downtown Disney?

We're still going to go to DTD, just on our last day after we check out of CSR and before we drive home. (Guess I shouldn't have bothered buying park tickets for that dbay after all, ) We have a breakfast ADR for that morning as well (also at Cape May, strangely enough, I only booked it as an alternative since I still can't seem to nab a morning ressie on 12/7 for 1900 Park Fare, ), so after that we'll head down to DTD to shop a while and have lunch, then start the 5 hour drive home.

That reminds me... time to go check the online ADR system again for the ones I'm still chasing.

OH! One more thing. I bought a cute, cheap folder at WalMart this morning for sticking all my print-outs and notes in. Closer to the trip, I'm going to pick up an expanding file folder to organize everything, but for now this will work. And it's got Tinkerbell on it, hooray!

 

[Wrexie]

Hi! I'm reading PTR's because I'm planning a trip in January!

My husband and I actually met on the internet way back in the dark ages (1994) and had a long-distance relationship for a year and a half before I decided to make the move and ended up finding some great job opportunities in his town. We had our 13th wedding anniversary in August, so we're living proof that this sort of thing can work!

I'm also dithering about what shoes to wear because I hate athletic-looking shoes unless I'm in a gym, and don't like to wear socks unless it's cold, but I'm recovering from knee problems so I need something supportive.

I like my Crocs Mary Jane-style shoes, less clunky than the clogs: http://www.crocs.com/crocs-mary-jane/10029,default,pd.html?q=mary janes

But I had to add some stick-on arch supports which I can't do with sandals--looks to obvious.

I'll bring the Crocs to WDW but I'm not sure they're cushiony enough for all-day walking, at least for me. I'll be bringing my Keen Presidios http://www.zappos.com/n/p/p/7241238.html which look much more "sneakerish" than I like but at least they're not white. If I really have to for my knees, I'll wear them. They're the most supportive shoes I have right now. I ordered these from zappos but they haven't come yet: http://www.zappos.com/think-mizzi-86353-black-nappa This is a little more than I would like to pay but I'm praying I can walk around in them all day and not have to resort to a lace-up, closed shoe. If that works out, for me, they will be worth the money.

If you like sandals, you might want to try some more supportive sandals at zappos.com--they have free shipping and returns so you can try something out to see how it feels. A lot of the "comfort sandals" are a bit pricey, though, and you certainly can't go wrong with Crocs for price and durability.

Best of luck planning your trip!

 

[Elevationist]

Hi! I'm reading PTR's because I'm planning a trip in January!

My husband and I actually met on the internet way back in the dark ages (1994) and had a long-distance relationship for a year and a half before I decided to make the move and ended up finding some great job opportunities in his town. We had our 13th wedding anniversary in August, so we're living proof that this sort of thing can work!

I'm also dithering about what shoes to wear because I hate athletic-looking shoes unless I'm in a gym, and don't like to wear socks unless it's cold, but I'm recovering from knee problems so I need something supportive.

I like my Crocs Mary Jane-style shoes, less clunky than the clogs: http://www.crocs.com/crocs-mary-jane/10029,default,pd.html?q=mary janes

But I had to add some stick-on arch supports which I can't do with sandals--looks to obvious.

I'll bring the Crocs to WDW but I'm not sure they're cushiony enough for all-day walking, at least for me. I'll be bringing my Keen Presidios http://www.zappos.com/n/p/p/7241238.html which look much more "sneakerish" than I like but at least they're not white. If I really have to for my knees, I'll wear them. They're the most supportive shoes I have right now. I ordered these from zappos but they haven't come yet: http://www.zappos.com/think-mizzi-86353-black-nappa This is a little more than I would like to pay but I'm praying I can walk around in them all day and not have to resort to a lace-up, closed shoe. If that works out, for me, they will be worth the money.

If you like sandals, you might want to try some more supportive sandals at zappos.com--they have free shipping and returns so you can try something out to see how it feels. A lot of the "comfort sandals" are a bit pricey, though, and you certainly can't go wrong with Crocs for price and durability.

Best of luck planning your trip!

Welcome, thanks for reading!

Aww, that's so great about you and your husband! I love hearing success stories! I'll be telliing DBF about you tonight, probably. Hehe.

Sounds like we are having a similar shoe problem! I can't afford to spend more than $40 on a pair myself, so I'm thinking Crocs might be my best option. People just rave about them, so I figure there's got to be something to all the fuss. Those Mary Jane style ones are super cute, too! I didn't realize they come in so many style options until I started to consider actually buying some. I might look up where my closest Crocs store is and see if I can't go try some on and see what I think of them before I buy.

 

[Elevationist]

Rental Car: Booked!

Company: Enterprise
Size: Compact
Pick-up: December 1st, 9:30am
Return: December 10th, 9:30am
TOTAL: $272.13



So excited not to have to stress out over my dumpy old car now!

 

[JoJo1980]

YAY for booking the rental car! We always book a hire car, we pick it up at the airport - we like to do some stuff off site so it comes in very handy!

Good luck with the ADR's you're chasing We've done the character breakfast at cape may and we loooooved!!

 

[Elevationist]

YAY for booking the rental car! We always book a hire car, we pick it up at the airport - we like to do some stuff off site so it comes in very handy!

Yeah, that's a big part of why I always drive down, since I only live 5 hours from WDW. Once we're there, we'll probably be using the buses primarily, but it's still nice to have the car there if we need it. (Though since we're paying nearly $300 for this thing, we might be using it more than the buses on this trip, purely out of principle! )

We'd planned all along on just driving my car down, but I'm nervous about it since it's not in the best condition. Taking the rental car on the road trip instead definitely puts my mind at ease.

Good luck with the ADR's you're chasing We've done the character breakfast at cape may and we loooooved!!

Oh, I'm sure it's perfectly wonderful! But I'd rather have 1900 Park Fare, for two reasons:
(1) We will have already seen the resort/restaurant earlier in the week for dinner, and I don't like repeating on the same trip.
(2) We will have already seen/met all the characters there earlier in the week, at Chef Mickeys.

1900 Park Fare, however, would give us a reason to visit the GF, and meet characters we otherwise won't see, like the Mad Hatter, Alice, Mary Poppins, etc. Sooooo... here's hoping I land a ressie between now and then!