HELP!!!!!! More Disney Dreams to fulfill! 09/04 Exciting news!

[dizneeat]

Yes me too!!!

 

[YukiPhnx]

LESS THAN 5 MONTHS!!!!!!!! OH how I wish I could go with you. I really miss you!

I guess I'll have to read further back to find out about your Feb trip. My group and I were only on property for about 6 hours on the day we returned from our RCCL cruise. All I could think about was that we COULD'VE bumped into each other if I had booked the trip earlier!

We had dinner at Cape May Cafe and my group loved it. Andrew must've eaten his weight in Alaskan crabs.

Anyways, I'm off to get all caught up! I'm thinking of starting a PTR for my trip next year soon. We need to coordinate.

 

[englishrose47]

LESS THAN 5 MONTHS!!!!!!!! OH how I wish I could go with you. I really miss you!

I guess I'll have to read further back to find out about your Feb trip. My group and I were only on property for about 6 hours on the day we returned from our RCCL cruise. All I could think about was that we COULD'VE bumped into each other if I had booked the trip earlier!

We had dinner at Cape May Cafe and my group loved it. Andrew must've eaten his weight in Alaskan crabs.

Anyways, I'm off to get all caught up! I'm thinking of starting a PTR for my trip next year soon. We need to coordinate.

Hi Yuki !!How are you!!!???? Karin I am upto date on this too

 

[dizneeat]

LESS THAN 5 MONTHS!!!!!!!! OH how I wish I could go with you. I really miss you!

I guess I'll have to read further back to find out about your Feb trip. My group and I were only on property for about 6 hours on the day we returned from our RCCL cruise. All I could think about was that we COULD'VE bumped into each other if I had booked the trip earlier!

We had dinner at Cape May Cafe and my group loved it. Andrew must've eaten his weight in Alaskan crabs.

Anyways, I'm off to get all caught up! I'm thinking of starting a PTR for my trip next year soon. We need to coordinate.

We missed you too, Yuki!

I have already started a trip report for our February vacation, Yuki, the link is in my signature - it's the Pixie dust one!
So did you enjoy your cruise? When exactly did you cruise? Wasn't it close to our dates?
We stayed at BLT for two nights and it was just awesome!
I love the fact that Andrew got his money's worth at Cape May , that's the way it should be!

We really need to coordinate for next year - I have some changes to announce lateron, so stay tuned!

Hi Yuki !!How are you!!!???? Karin I am upto date on this too

You are really on the ball, Rosie!

 

[dizneeat]

HUGE changes in our summer 2013 vacation!

I might have mentioned that in 2013 we had planned to do an east-coast, west-coast vacation.
So, last week I got some planning for Disneyland Paris done and then, instead of doing work for school I started fiddling with our 2013 vacation.
Since we planned to have two domestic flights I tried to do a "trial" booking of all our flights through Lufthansa's Star Alliance. I nearly fell over when I saw the price
Now, that got me thinking about the whole vacation. (Let me recap that for you - 3 days WDW, 7 night Eastern Caribbean Fantasy cruise, 6 nights WDW, 2 nights Las Vegas, 3 nights San Francisco, 2 nights Napa Valley, 2 nights Monterey, 2 nights Santa Barbara and 4 nights Grand Californian).
I made my plans and talked it over with Tom today and this is the gist of it ......






........






wait for it



.........



We decided to skip the whole California part and put it off for 2014 or 2015 and just tour California for 4 whole weeks.


But, what will happen in 2013?


Well, here's the plan!

Arrive at MCO August 7 and stay at a Disney resort (Pop?) for three nights.
Then head to
Port Canaveral for our August 10, Eastern Caribbean Cruise on the Disney Fantasy.
So far everything stayed the same.
And here is what we came up with instead of going to California ....


drum roll please!!


Once we get back from our 7 night cruise we will disembark and



GET RIGHT BACK ON for another 7 night Western Caribbean cruise!!!!!!!!!!


(Only change is that we downgraded from a category 5a to 5b, as there was a 1200$ hike in price for one of the cruises! We have changed all our reservations and are now in stateroom 8626! (needed to have a little of that Stitch influence again! )
I used my February 2013 booking and changed it to summer 2013, to secure that 10% onboard booking discount and the stateroom credit.
I rebooked my February cruise without a discount now and will hold on to it until the summer, when we will have it changed into an onboard booking!)

After our cruises we will return to WDW for 2 weeks - some of that time we will stay at OKW (on points) - we are still rethinking the rest, which is not covered by points (renting comes to mind, but even an AP discount at a moderate could be nice!)

Now, what do YOU think about all our changes?



Please note - I have already changed my ticker!

 

[onelilspark]

Just though I'd throw out there that probably the reason the flights were so high for next year is because most of the budget US carriers haven't released flights yet. Once they release their schedules, the other carriers have more competition and usually lower their prices as well.

 

[dizneeat]

Just though I'd throw out there that probably the reason the flights were so high for next year is because most of the budget US carriers haven't released flights yet. Once they release their schedules, the other carriers have more competition and usually lower their prices as well.

I actually tried "this year's" prices to get an idea and there was not much "in between" Southwest and Star Alliance. And since I get airmiles from Star Alliance (and can book with a carrier I know) that would have been our first choice.
As for Star Alliance lowering their prices .... not going to happen - the earlier you book the better the deal.

 

[Minnie&Nana]

Those are some pretty exciting cha cha changes!!!!

You and Tom must besides yourselves excited about back to back SEVEN night Cruises!!! I am excited for you too - and waiting for CA, then spending 4 weeks there is a fantastic idea! I love CA (lived there for a few years as a child..DL is my home park)....it is such a big state, so much to see and even close enough to LV to squeeze that in if that's still park of the plan.
I'm so happy for you!!!

Then 2 weeks at WDW! Definitely going to watch the plans unfold and see if a weekend getaway might be doable for me sometime during the WDW stay.

Can't wait to see the rest of the planning unfold...ADR's etc. Absolutely fabulous!!! WTG, Karin!!

 

[jedijill]

Wow! Back to back 7 days??? That will be awesome!

Jill in CO

 

[onelilspark]

I actually tried "this year's" prices to get an idea and there was not much "in between" Southwest and Star Alliance. And since I get airmiles from Star Alliance (and can book with a carrier I know) that would have been our first choice.
As for Star Alliance lowering their prices .... not going to happen - the earlier you book the better the deal.

Oh okay, forget my comments then! 2 cruises sounds like a blast!

 

[dizneeat]

Those are some pretty exciting cha cha changes!!!!

You and Tom must besides yourselves excited about back to back SEVEN night Cruises!!! I am excited for you too - and waiting for CA, then spending 4 weeks there is a fantastic idea! I love CA (lived there for a few years as a child..DL is my home park)....it is such a big state, so much to see and even close enough to LV to squeeze that in if that's still park of the plan.
I'm so happy for you!!!

Then 2 weeks at WDW! Definitely going to watch the plans unfold and see if a weekend getaway might be doable for me sometime during the WDW stay.

Can't wait to see the rest of the planning unfold...ADR's etc. Absolutely fabulous!!! WTG, Karin!!

We are both over the moon with the changes to our 2013 vacation (even though it is more than 500 days to count down. ) But spending 2 full weeks on board is going to be wonderful!

We love CA too! And that is the reason we want to do it for 4 weeks. The first time we went (one of many times we went), we stayed for 18 nights and it was kind of - drive - take photos - sleep - drive - take photos - sleep. We had several cities and national parks and by the end of it I was DONE with that vacation. From then on I made my own plans and 4 weeks was just ideal to really see and experience some cities!
Can't wait to repeat that experience!

And if you have already moved to Florida by then we can easily go and visit you during our two weeks' stay.

Wow! Back to back 7 days??? That will be awesome!

Jill in CO

Yes, Jill, we are doing back to back 7 day cruises - Eastern AND Western Caribbean
I am so happy - even just looking at my Castaway Club, cruise page - we now have 5 cruises planned for the next two years!
Can't wait!

Oh okay, forget my comments then! 2 cruises sounds like a blast!

I wish our airfare would work the way yours does!
But at least we have another back to back cruise to look forward to!

 

[jenseib]

That is awesome!!!!! I really want to sail the Fantasy. I think cruising is my new addiction.

 

[annmarieda]

HUGE changes in our summer 2013 vacation!



We decided to skip the whole California part and put it off for 2014 or 2015 and just tour California for 4 whole weeks.

Actually, I was kinda worried about your trip to CA. I really was truly truly going to hope to plan making it down to DL, but with some other disgals and I planning a fall 2013 trip to WDW, I wasnt sure how I was going to do it. Now... depending on when your departure in September is and how early in the fall we go...we might actually end up being in WDW at the same time.

AND..since your changes are not about me I am so very very excited for you that you get to take some long back to back cruising time!!!!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Wow Karin! That is really a huge change! I think you will have a wonderful long vacation in 2013 and then you can look forward to doing the West Coast up right when you do! And it will be easier for me to get away and see you then, too!

 

[tinacaplan]

Oh, how many times when I'm supposed to be doing school work do I end up running trip scenarios?

So sorry about the flights. Its because gas has skyrocketed here, as of late. We bought our plane tickets for July only a few weeks after we got back because I wanted to jump on the cheaper tickets as soon as I could. It is also why we already bought our plane tickets for October, too.

I just cannot stand giving any more of my money to the airlines than I have to. I'd much rather give it to Disney.

A two week cruise...that sounds amazing!

I think going to California for a whole trip makes a lot of sense, actually. I really want to get out there someday. We've never been. One of my best friends recently moved out there, so maybe a trip is sooner than I think.

I'm glad things worked out for you!

 

[englishrose47]

Wow the changes are great !!We are doing a cruise in 2014 for the girls High School graduation! But it won't be Disney !!

 

[dizneeat]

That is awesome!!!!! I really want to sail the Fantasy. I think cruising is my new addiction.

We are so excited, Jen, even if this trip is still 16 months away!
And you are not the only one being addicted to cruising ..... I think we caught the bug too!

Actually, I was kinda worried about your trip to CA. I really was truly truly going to hope to plan making it down to DL, but with some other disgals and I planning a fall 2013 trip to WDW, I wasnt sure how I was going to do it. Now... depending on when your departure in September is and how early in the fall we go...we might actually end up being in WDW at the same time.

AND..since your changes are not about me I am so very very excited for you that you get to take some long back to back cruising time!!!!

We would love to meet you, Ann, doesn't matter where!
Guess we have decided on the best of both worlds - getting a really LONG cruise in 2013 and a non hurried CA vacation. We have been there several times and loved every time we went, so the least we want to do is have a rushed vacation.
So happy about our decision!

Wow Karin! That is really a huge change! I think you will have a wonderful long vacation in 2013 and then you can look forward to doing the West Coast up right when you do! And it will be easier for me to get away and see you then, too!

Even though it is a huge change, it was an easy one. As much as we love CA, I think we would not have been happy to just go for a short amount of time. And 4 weeks in CA just seems about right .... too many things to enjoy. And we really hope that we can meet then!

 

[dizneeat]

Oh, how many times when I'm supposed to be doing school work do I end up running trip scenarios?

Aren't trip scenarios so much better than school work?

So sorry about the flights. Its because gas has skyrocketed here, as of late. We bought our plane tickets for July only a few weeks after we got back because I wanted to jump on the cheaper tickets as soon as I could. It is also why we already bought our plane tickets for October, too.

I was kind of prepared for them and all I wanted to know was an estimate. As far as buying plane tickets in advance. Guess what .... we already have our eyes on the February ones and as soon as Tom has the okay from his boss that he gets the vacation time, I am going to buy.
Lufthansa releases their prices around 350 days in advance and it usually is cheaper to buy far in advance.
As for summer 2013 - I need to check out airfare to Hawaii - maybe Aulani will be in our future, but nothing is set so far.

I just cannot stand giving any more of my money to the airlines than I have to. I'd much rather give it to Disney.

Well said, sister!

A two week cruise...that sounds amazing!

I had to check my bookings on their website about every hour, so I know they are still there. 5 cruises in the next 16 months - I think we are doing quite well!

I think going to California for a whole trip makes a lot of sense, actually. I really want to get out there someday. We've never been. One of my best friends recently moved out there, so maybe a trip is sooner than I think.

I'm glad things worked out for you!

We have been to CA several times and always enjoyed our stays. We have done it in two weeks too, but we much more enjoyed the 4 week trips.
If you have never been you should definitely consider a trip there - let me know and I'll put a nice trip together for you!

Wow the changes are great !!We are doing a cruise in 2014 for the girls High School graduation! But it won't be Disney !!

Maybe Judy will change her mind and go with DCL for the girl's graduation cruise. But any cruise will be fun!

 

[Teri1]

Karin I had to hold my breath when I read your news of big changes for 2013!! How wonderful you get to get back on and experience the Western itinerary! I was trying to figure out if we could swing few days extra at WDW before or after the cruise in 2013.

 

[HowieHowie]

Wow....a 2 week cruise...that's amazing!!! So happy for both of you. I think going to CA in one trip is better than going from coast to coast. Airfares are so high. Even though we have BCV booked for December, we do not have airfare booked. Howie's waiting for Jet Blue's prices to come out in May, but is getting nervous that Delta's prices are going to go up by then. December's fares are always higher because it's holiday season. I know you said that BLT studios are small...how do you think we will fit with the 4 of us? We get to WDW on Aug 17th and leave Sept. 3, so we will have to make plans before you leave for your cruise.