Happy Birthday, Dear Dude - A Sept 2010 PTR - 9/22 Trip Report Started p34

[swwake]

This was the first year we didn't do an easter egg hunt at our house ... so sad!! And so begins the years of my mom putting the walmart bag of chocolate on the counter the night before and letting us go at it

That being said, we had egg hunts up until last year, with my brother in University and me a full-fledged grad. I'm sure Katie will appreciate visits from our favourite bunny long after she's "grown up" - it's all a state of mind, right?!

I am going to miss so much about having a kiddo around here. I have to remember that we'll have plenty of times together where she can still act like a kid!

Congratulations on your savings!! I once managed to get a code (publicly available, not a pin) applied to a reservation when I was prepared to downgrade my room from pool view at AKL to standard view in order to get the code. I think sometimes the CM can get cleared to apply discounts if you are willing to change your reservation nevertheless. I think staying all the time in one place will work great for you!!

Thank you! I am so thrilled about it because the rack rate was in our budget already, so the savings is simply bonus! Maybe I can get caught up on my income taxes now. Ugh.

You must be staying at BLT to use the lounge. I know I just handed my room key and they ran it through the system and escorted me up.

However, I was staying there on DVC points...not sure if that matters (I assume you'd stay on a cash ressie or are you renting points?) I don't remember if that makes a difference. At one time it was supposed to be JUST for DVC members staying on points there...but I don't know if they opened it up to all BLT guests or just those staying on points.

Well, hopefully we'll try BLT next trip and we can test it out. I'd love access to that lounge!

BTW, congrats on saving almost $1000! That's a great deposit for your next Disneycation!

Thank you! You're right - a deposit for the 2011 trip!

 

[swwake]

I've been a little MIA from my PTR lately. I've been checking the boards, but not very active. That's because we've been busy with new vacation developments.

Last week, we collectively decided to postpone the Greece trip to a future year. It was just becoming too difficult to pull together the logistics, and none of us wanted to be gone from home for 13 or more days.

So, now we are looking at possibly taking a cruise this summer for our family trip (and Katie's graduation trip). This is good news because it will save soooo much money over the amount we had already budgeted and earmarked for Europe.

Katie wants to take a friend, and we have tentatively selected the new Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas Eastern Caribbean itinerary. We're very excited about this because we went on Liberty of the Seas in 2007 and loved it.

As a family, we are into all sorts of boardsports (wake, surf, skate, snow), so we obviously fell in love with the Flow Rider. And this ship has not one, but TWO Flow Riders!!

Right now, we have picked our ship and the date, I have researched the airfare, and we are in limbo waiting until I can talk to the mom of one of Katie's friends to see if she will let us take her. Should have that nailed down in the next 24 hours and I hope to have our reservations made by the weekend.

Even with all of that, Chris and I have been excitedly watching all of the goings-on with the Wizarding World of Harry Potter over at IOA (Celebrity Apprentice, Ellen, etc.) and we are very excited about that part of our trip in September.

Also, All Ears had a fantastic review of AKL Club Level in the latest newsletter, and reading that got us all excited about our stay at AKL.

So we're still excited about our trip, but there's not much to do in planning right now, and now we have another whole vacation to plan between now and September!

 

[Marshay]

Very cool! The Oasis of the Seas vacation sounds terrific!!

 

[MHTeacher]

So, now we are looking at possibly taking a cruise this summer for our family trip (and Katie's graduation trip).

A cruise sounds like a fabulous idea, Susan! I love the idea of taking a family trip as Katie's graduation trip.

 

[swwake]

Very cool! The Oasis of the Seas vacation sounds terrific!!

Yeah, it does sound terrific. I hope we can make it happen.

A cruise sounds like a fabulous idea, Susan! I love the idea of taking a family trip as Katie's graduation trip.

It would be a great trip. I have found on their message boards that there will be TONS of 18 and 19-year-olds with their families celebrating their high school graduation. Should be great for Katie and a friend!

 

[swwake]

Two packages arrived today!

The first had some books I ordered.

And for Chris:

He said he's heard the book is much better than the movie, so he wants to read the book before we watch the movie again.

The second package had this:

So now we have lots of reading and viewing material!

 

[Dancegrl624]

Jurassic Park is SUCH a great book! I read it after I saw the movie and I liked it much better. It's long, but it's super good.

 

[Charleston Princess]

Oh, I can't wait to hear what you think of Project Future. I keep looking at it but haven't broken down and bought it yet.

 

[Native NYer]

3 more books that I have to order.
How is the color companion?

 

[swwake]

Jurassic Park is SUCH a great book! I read it after I saw the movie and I liked it much better. It's long, but it's super good.

Ok now you're convincing me that maybe I need to read it too!

Oh, I can't wait to hear what you think of Project Future. I keep looking at it but haven't broken down and bought it yet.

I will let you know. At first glance it looks like lots of words and maybe a little boring.

3 more books that I have to order.
How is the color companion?

So far, it reminds me a lot of the Complete Walt Disney World. The pictures are beautiful. If you read the reviews (good and bad) on Amazon, they are spot-on. Especially the one about "why did you spend 6 of your 560 pictures on turkey legs?"

 

[swwake]

So the other day, WDW changed the park times for some September and October dates. We were speculating that MNSSHP would be held on Friday night of our stay, and now it appears it will be Saturday night.

This presents a problem. We have a (perfect) ADR at LeCellier on Saturday night at 6:45pm. But if that will be a MNSSHP night, we won't want that reservation.

I tried to look at other nights during our trip and couldn't find any open dinner ADRs at LeCellier. I sent an email to the IPO this morning, they checked, and they can't find any dinner openings during our trip.

Darn! This kinda stinks. We may have to just play it by ear and see if we can get a last-minute ADR. What about walk-ups? Does anyone know if you can just walk-up to LeCellier without a reservation?

On a good note, I got us a reservation for Boma breakfast on Monday morning after our surfing. I think this will be perfect, since I doubt the Club Lounge will have hearty breakfast offerings at that time, and I bet we'll be hungry after a long, early morning of surfing. And I think we'll want to go "home" after, rather than hitting a park, if only to get cleaned up and change clothes.

 

[MHTeacher]

What about walk-ups? Does anyone know if you can just walk-up to LeCellier without a reservation?

I am in serious doubt for that happening, Susan.

 

[swwake]

I am in serious doubt for that happening, Susan.

I will just have to keep checking.

 

[swwake]

Does anyone else ever have those days where you just can't WAIT for your Disney vacation? Today is one of those for me. September can't come soon enough. Tomorrow, my ticker will say 5 months and I am so excited!

A couple of insights from my emails with Don (the IPO over at AKL):

When I mentioned that the park hours had changed for September, causing me to think they may have MNSSHP on Saturday night instead of Friday, he responded: "You are correct that this will most likely be a party night." Hmm...do you think IPOs have inside info?

Also, he said they'll keep checking to see if any LeCellier reservations open up, but suggested it's ok for me to check as well, saying "Sometimes the more the better. It is a very small restaurant and has always been a challenge."

Don't we all know it!

I am hoping to add to the "Do You Mind?" TR shortly. Next up is a recap of our Keys To The Kingdom tour.

 

[Native NYer]

I hope you get a Le Cellier ADR. We had to settle for a late lunch.

5 months!!!

 

[MHTeacher]

Can't wait to hear your recap of the Keys to the Kingeom tour, Susan.

I've debated doing this several times. But I keep thinking that my DIS friends have probably already told me everything I need to know!

 

[cdotla]

Wow - I was really behind, but just caught up tonite.

What an amazing deal with the $1,000 savings!!! You are darn right - I would wait to do the CR and Poly another trip too!

And I also read Deb's great review of CL at AKL on AllEars. I am sure you are going to have a great stay!

 

[swwake]

I hope you get a Le Cellier ADR. We had to settle for a late lunch.

5 months!!!

I think I'll keep trying for LC every few days. If there is no FD, I bet there will be a few canceled reservations. I love my 5-month ticker!

Can't wait to hear your recap of the Keys to the Kingeom tour, Susan.

I've debated doing this several times. But I keep thinking that my DIS friends have probably already told me everything I need to know!

I would say it's not as much about the information as it is the experience. We found it well worth it. I can tell you EVERYTHING we learned, but that's all trivia. Getting to see the backstage and utilidors made it worth the trip. Not to mention entering an empty park before opening and the priceless photo opportunities.

Wow - I was really behind, but just caught up tonite.

What an amazing deal with the $1,000 savings!!! You are darn right - I would wait to do the CR and Poly another trip too!

And I also read Deb's great review of CL at AKL on AllEars. I am sure you are going to have a great stay!

We are thrilled with the savings! Can't wait to do Poly or CR next trip. Maybe we'll get a bounceback for that in 2011. And I can't wait for AKL!

 

[MHTeacher]

I would say it's not as much about the information as it is the experience. We found it well worth it. I can tell you EVERYTHING we learned, but that's all trivia. Getting to see the backstage and utilidors made it worth the trip. Not to mention entering an empty park before opening and the priceless photo opportunities.

Thanks! Sounds like I definitely need to give it a try one morning!

Happy Friday to you, Susan---Hope you have a great weekend!

 

[swwake]

Today, my only baby turned 18! I took the day off work (sort of a tradition for us accountants, anyway). She went to school until 10, then we took a jog together. We went for lunch, then shopping for her MacBook (combination birthday/graduation gift). She's off with her boyfriend now, but we will have dinner tonight at Cheesecake Factory with her, Denny (bf), her friend Caitlin (from the '08 Disney trip), and my Mom. Then she's having 7 other girls spend the night.

We are still trying to decide about her graduation trip. She has it narrowed down to 4 options:
1 - NYC with just Dude and me (shopping, Broadway show, sight seeing). She has been before, but neither Chris nor I have been. She wants to go to Chinatown for a new purse.
2 - Cruise on the Oasis with us and taking a friend
3 - Hawaii (mostly surfing)
4 - San Francisco (but we could tag this onto a Hawaii trip

We are hoping to come to a consensus over the weekend so we can get serious with the planning.