Girl Scouts earning their way to Disney!

[TinaLala]

Our new puppy is a mix. He was rescued with his siblings and are being fostered. Can't wait to pick him up on Monday. I just purchased the memory makers package. I'm getting nervous about how to link all our stuff. We have our bands, I need to link the tix and the memory maker. I think I have to do it all there. Just getting nervous. Now it's hitting me. I only have 5 more shifts of work before we go. We are on the 10 day forecast. Just looked at next Sunday and it's gonna be 90.

Can I just say how awesome you are!! Seriously we all know GS leaders do a lot of work, but this is amazing. You've double checked your paperwork 100 times. I'm sure you're freakin out, but think about the memory these scouts are going to have! No matter what they are going to have a great time.

I can't wait to hear how it went and read your trip report. Keep us posted and please freak out here, cuz you know we are all there supporting you!!

 

[TinaLala]

My troop has worked for 2 years to earn the money to go this August and yes, about $1000 per girl is what we ended up with. That includes travel, food, on-site hotel, YES tickets, insurance, and spending money (not much but some since it was important to the girls). We added to our cookie money by selling water bottles for camp, participating in Lemonade Day, and having a workshop for other girls. The majority of the girls' money was earned through cookie sales, though. They sold over 18,000 boxes over the last 2 years with only 10 girls. Their motivation and persistence was amazing with the incentive of a week at Disney. The parents have done separate fund raisers since most of my parents are coming with us. We've done flamingo flocking, direct sales parties, and garage sales and we're still working for some of the parents. I think it'll be worth it! We'll be bridging to Cadettes at Epcot on our first full day in the parks.

Wondering how your planning is coming along. Where in Epcot are you bridging and how are you doing it?

 

[TinaLala]

So I'm leaning towards AofA for our hotel. I saved a ton of pictures off Allears.net as well as for Pop. I figure I'll show them the pictures and let them vote. So much room and the cost difference between the two was minimal. Plus I like that they have the dinning tables. The other leaders I'm with want to go back mid day for lunch ( purchasing breakfast and lunch thru grocergarden.com ) and maybe jump in pool, if there's a lifeguard. The dining tables would help.

Just confirmed with YES rep if we have 10 scouts go, only 2 adults can go with them even though they are purchasing the program thru discounted rate. Not sure how my adults are going to feel about that. We're bringing 4 adults with us.

 

[Shanna-like-Banana]

Wow that's a huge tip! I thought you could link all of the bands to the MM! I haven't really looked into it too much.

Yes, all the Magic Bands will be linked

But the problem lies with the ride photos. When they changed over from FP+ to MM, only the actual MM purchaser gets the ride photos.

So to avoid not having them, if you have to sit out of a ride, pass your band to another person, so it detects you on the ride and you get the photos.

Another tip : when you are ready for them to all have the My Disney Experience access. Make sure you have set them up as Friends/Family in your account. You send the invite to them. Make sure they click the view/share plans and photos.

Do not have them create an account and get an invite to you. Make sure it's you inviting them to your account.

If you set them up as guests in your account, and then they go and set up their own, and they do the invite, it will create duplicates of each person in your friends/family, which is a TOTAL mess.

 

[Shanna-like-Banana]

Just confirmed with YES rep if we have 10 scouts go, only 2 adults can go with them even though they are purchasing the program thru discounted rate. Not sure how my adults are going to feel about that. We're bringing 4 adults with us.

There is a way "around" this. Register under the "individual" enrollment.

Break up the girls and adults and register them in sets/pairs. 2 or 3 girls and 1 adult per registration.

That's what we had to do. We only had 4 girls for the trip and 2 adults. We had to do individual, since we had a group less than 10. So we did 2 girls and 1 adult per registration.

Also, Disney says for the individual enrollment, that the adult doesn't have to stay with the group if the girls are 14 or older. Ha Ha Ha, like that's ever going to happen.

On the other hand, if you are really only needing 2 adults with the group, have the extra adults purchase the non-participant adult ticket, they are a few dollar less.

 

[jrhmc]

We're getting really excited. Less than 2 weeks left! We're going to bridge at the Japan bridge in Epcot. I talked to our YES representative and she said to just go over there and do it. We won't be in trouble as long as we don't hold up traffic or anything. On the individual vs. group registration with YES, you won't get the two free adult tickets if you do individual registrations. You can add as many adult tickets as you have girls but you can't bring them all on the program. I just said it would be me and one other random adult on that program and then the rest will be with us all the time. We have just as many adults as kids on this trip but I'm not planning for any of them unless they are designated chaperones.
Another fun tip for pin trading, we ordered about 100 pins from eBay and are making some plain lanyards for the girls who don't have one. It came out to about $4/girl for 10 pins and a lanyard and they have some to trade without buying them at the parks.

 

[jrhmc]

Yes, all the Magic Bands will be linked

But the problem lies with the ride photos. When they changed over from FP+ to MM, only the actual MM purchaser gets the ride photos.

So to avoid not having them, if you have to sit out of a ride, pass your band to another person, so it detects you on the ride and you get the photos.

Another tip : when you are ready for them to all have the My Disney Experience access. Make sure you have set them up as Friends/Family in your account. You send the invite to them. Make sure they click the view/share plans and photos.

Do not have them create an account and get an invite to you. Make sure it's you inviting them to your account.

If you set them up as guests in your account, and then they go and set up their own, and they do the invite, it will create duplicates of each person in your friends/family, which is a TOTAL mess.

According to some of the sites I've read, you can ask to have the ride photo linked to your Memory Maker account after the ride by just finding your photo on the board and asking at the booth. Or just get a PhotoPass card and link it later. I'm trying to find where I read it and I'll post a link if I find it.

 

[jrhmc]

It won't let me post a link since I haven't posted enough yet but just do a search on Memory Maker questions on this board and you'll find the instructions on how to add everyone's ride photos even if the account owner doesn't ride.

 

[bearbear]

We fall into the category of 15 year olds for the yes program. We don't have to go as adults. My other leader and I are looking forward to getting breakfast in peace and quiet. 4 15 year old girls we will need a little break.

 

[TinaLala]

Two of my adults will have to take a break instead of going to the YES program, I don't think their going to mind, lol!

 

[TinaLala]

Bearbear - were you able to link magicbands to the YES tickets? I read the YES thread and I dont know if I saw your answer.

I saw that pick up of tickets is at any guest service desk unless you've had tickets linked. what are you doing?

With only 2 adults attending program, just got word from one adult that she wont go if not needed. :-(

 

[Shanna-like-Banana]

They sent me a code via email at 60 days out to link our tickets to our Magic Bands.

But, when I went back and looked at purchasing tickets for maybe a family trip later this fall, they now have a message posted saying you will get the code 30 days before arrival.

The main reason why they changed it from 60 to 30 days is that the YES tickets are not changeable, so you can't add day, take days off, add park hopper, etc. Once they issue that code for you to link, that's it, those are your tickets, no changes.

But, then getting the codes at 30 days, means you have to wait until 30 days out to make your FP+ choices. That really wasn't such a big deal for us, we were able to make all the changes we wanted, even on the day of, there was stuff open we could change to.

 

[TinaLala]

They sent me a code via email at 60 days out to link our tickets to our Magic Bands.

But, when I went back and looked at purchasing tickets for maybe a family trip later this fall, they now have a message posted saying you will get the code 30 days before arrival.

The main reason why they changed it from 60 to 30 days is that the YES tickets are not changeable, so you can't add day, take days off, add park hopper, etc. Once they issue that code for you to link, that's it, those are your tickets, no changes.

But, then getting the codes at 30 days, means you have to wait until 30 days out to make your FP+ choices. That really wasn't such a big deal for us, we were able to make all the changes we wanted, even on the day of, there was stuff open we could change to.

well not crazy about waiting for FP+, however I dont want to have to go to DTD to get the tickets either.

how's your planning coming along?

 

[Shanna-like-Banana]

how's your planning coming along?

lol, we went on our trip the first week of June.

The trip itself was actually one of the worst trips I've ever been on in my life. Not just bad Disney trips, but worst ever trip period.

 

[bearbear]

I think my tix are linked. I have to try to link the memory maker tonight. This is my big stress. Is everything going to work ? I ordered groceries and just have to get a few odds and ends. Everything else should be in line. Just 2 more nights of work then on vacation.

 

[TinaLala]

The trip itself was actually one of the worst trips I've ever been on in my life. Not just bad Disney trips, but worst ever trip period.

WHY! This sounds bad.

 

[TinaLala]

I think my tix are linked. I have to try to link the memory maker tonight. This is my big stress. Is everything going to work ? I ordered groceries and just have to get a few odds and ends. Everything else should be in line. Just 2 more nights of work then on vacation.

its these little things that freak me out.

bearbear - You're doing great keeping it together!! I just saw the new parade and the Frozen show on allears.net - so great!! have an amazing time!

 

[bearbear]

Did my flight check in. Getting nervous. Had a dream I got there and my suitcase was empty. I can't believe it's here.

 

[TinaLala]

Did my flight check in. Getting nervous. Had a dream I got there and my suitcase was empty. I can't believe it's here.

Everything will be great! Just keep thinking happy thoughts!!

 

[bearbear]

We are having a blast. Now just to get the girls awake for our YES program this morning.