"I can't believe we're staying here!" An Feb'16 DLR PTR (TR link Post #355)

[DnA2010]

Welcome along. No we never did get a friend for DD, though we tried several people. It's amazing it was so hard to find someone to go on a free Disney trip. If you go on a Disney cruise, a WDW will be cheap![/QUOTE]

Well our Fantasy cruise was booked on a VGT rate, right now that's about the only way we will cruise DCL again as the rates are just crazy! Truthfully DD I think loved our cruise on the RCL's Oasis close to as much as the Fantasy and the price was much smaller...
Yes, we will see how things go re WDW- I wish we could pre-plan a bit, but right now things are a bit up in the air, so will have to wait and see. I am slowly learning the ropes of WDW, from reading the Dis- on our first trip (DD did not come on this trip as she was with her bio-mother) we stayed in a condo just off-site (DH, my Mom, sis and sis's DH) so a condo made sense, but when DH and DD11 and I get back, I'm really thinking of staying on-site- I have this feeling we will be hooked

 

[skier_pete]

Things sound good. I'm envious! I still have four months until WDW!

My main comment is: Don't the studios have toasters in them already? I know the VGC had them, I just thought that they were one of the things included in a studio to make it more like home. I've never stayed in a studio at WDW, but I thought they were standard issue.

@franandaj you were right! I confirmed that all the studios have toasters. Woo hoo, I Saved $13. Now I just need to come up with another $487 to make up for not using my DVC points to Disneyland!

 

[skier_pete]

Yes, we will see how things go re WDW- I wish we could pre-plan a bit, but right now things are a bit up in the air, so will have to wait and see. I am slowly learning the ropes of WDW, from reading the Dis- on our first trip (DD did not come on this trip as she was with her bio-mother) we stayed in a condo just off-site (DH, my Mom, sis and sis's DH) so a condo made sense, but when DH and DD11 and I get back, I'm really thinking of staying on-site- I have this feeling we will be hooked

Staying on site is way too addictive. I would recommend avoiding it if you can. Or not>

 

[franandaj]

@franandaj you were right! I confirmed that all the studios have toasters. Woo hoo, I Saved $13. Now I just need to come up with another $487 to make up for not using my DVC points to Disneyland!

Cool! I'm glad you were able to confirm that and save some cash! I really hope that waitlist comes through for you!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Glad that the studios have toasters. The Mickey waffle looks cool. Is that an add-on iron plate or something?

 

[jandlinz]

Following along. We just bought into DVC resale as well. We've rented points before. I've studied quite a bit on what is available during different times as well. I'm so excited for you and your first DVC trip. Can't wait to hear all about it.

 

[skier_pete]

Cool! I'm glad you were able to confirm that and save some cash! I really hope that waitlist comes through for you!

So do we of course! Harbor Boulevard is fine, but its not the Grand Californian.

Glad that the studios have toasters. The Mickey waffle looks cool. Is that an add-on iron plate or something?

Nope, it's the actual waffle maker. DW didn't like our regular waffle maker, and asked for a new one for her birthday. She asked for a Mickey one, and who am I to deny her?

Following along. We just bought into DVC resale as well. We've rented points before. I've studied quite a bit on what is available during different times as well. I'm so excited for you and your first DVC trip. Can't wait to hear all about it.

Very cool! When is your first trip as owners? And thanks for joining in.

 

[jandlinz]

Very cool! When is your first trip as owners? And thanks for joining in.

November 2016

 

[skier_pete]

well HAPPY DAY! Magic Bands are here, and I'm counting 24 days to go!

We are going incognito with our MB - DW and I are going as our favorite adventurers from the days of the Adventurers Club - daring pilot Hathaway Brown and adventuress / cabaret singer Samantha Sterling. (Hoping at least 1 Castmember catches on.) DD is going as her favorite teen superhero - Violet Parr.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Cool bands and names!

 

[skier_pete]

QUICK UPDATE on our Disneyland trip...

I was checking availability on the website, and one night showed up with availability in a studio - Monday, February 15th. While the original plan was for us to stay 3 nights in a 1-bedroom from Feb 16 - 19th, we were planning on arriving in Anaheim on the 15th and staying at a nearby hotel before checking into the GCV for 3-nights. Now, if I were to get a studio - I could actually afford to get it for the full 4 nights. Truthfully, while a 1-bedroom is our first choice, a studio at the GCV would be better than the most likely alternative, which will be a regular hotel room on the strip.

In addition, I have a couple expiring points that I will lose if I don't use them at all on this trip. Soooo....I decided that I would book the single night for right now. If we only are able to get this one night - and the fact that I got this much encourages me a bit - I will keep it and enjoy one night of luxury before switching to Harbor Boulevard.

I still have waitlists for a studio OR a 1-bedroom on the 17th and 18th. If the 1-bedroom comes through - I will cancel this single night on the 15th. If the studio comes through - I will try desperately to get the 16th.

So - some minor good news from my end - one night booked!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Congrats on having one night come up! HEre's to the other waitlists coming through.

 

[franandaj]

Yay! I am fairly confident that if you stick with it some sort of waitlist will come through for you!

 

[khertz]

That's awesome you are able to get at least one night!

And yay Magic Bands! That means your trip is getting so close!!

 

[skier_pete]

Congrats on having one night come up! HEre's to the other waitlists coming through.

Yay! I am fairly confident that if you stick with it some sort of waitlist will come through for you!

That's awesome you are able to get at least one night!

And yay Magic Bands! That means your trip is getting so close!!

As I think I said before, doing DVC at DLR is really tough if you can't get the room. It's not like at WDW while you can always fall back to another resort. So since I got that one night, I've been logging on 3 times a day, looking at ZERO availability. I know when it comes, it will be out of the blue, but it just VERY frustrating. My hope is by the fact that I booked the wait list exactly when the 7-month dates arrive and the rooms disappeared, I am hopefully fairly near the top of any waitlist, so cancellations will again hopefully happen in my favor.

I've been trying to come up with some sort of update for the WDW part of this PTR. We are 16 days from departure, and other than being antsy for our trip, i don't really have much more to say about it. But I'll give it a try.

-I took our daughter to our local amusement/water park and I "test-drove" my expected clothing style of wearing a pair of board shorts and a moisture wicking T-shirt. We were there for about 5 hours, and it worked great, even leaving the water park and walking around the park. It wasn't as hot as it'll be in Florida nor as humid, but I still think it was a good test for getting wet and then walking around. (Can you tell I'm an research engineer?)

-Saw the recent rumors about them closing "One Man's Dream" and "Little Mermaid" at DHS, which means we really should see these when we go. Intend to try and squeeze them in that first morning, which is good because I felt like there wasn't enough on our "to do" list.

-Got our memory maker "share" all worked out - sharing with 3 other families to reduce costs. Not as simple to set up as the old version, but I think in implementation it should be easier.

-Packing hasn't really started in earnest, but I've been slowly throwing stuff in my carry on. (Ponchos, water bottles, Glow-with-the-show ears..etc.) I usually take about 2 hours to pack. My wife somehow takes about 12 hours. I have no idea how she draws it out so much.

-It's also too early for this: I find myself checking every couple of days the Atlantic Hurricane tracker on weather underground: http://www.wunderground.com/hurricane/
I don't much concern myself with the overall forecast. but I really would rather not have to deal with a hurricane while we are there. It's been an abnormally quiet season, which is partly to do with El Nino in the pacific. Typically a Hurricane shows off as a storm off the African coast about 10 days before it causes trouble in Florida. So far there's nothing to see...so hopefully it continues to stay quiet for the next two weeks out there. Or at least the next 4-5 days. Really would hate to have another trip disrupted by weather this year. (Our other vacation in February got really botched by weather both in and out, and our weekend in Toronto back in June was practically a complete rainout.)

That's all for now.

I can't remember if I said it before, but I plan on keeping this PTR active for our Disneyland trip, so stay tuned!

 

[kcpinwdw]

I really would rather not have to deal with a hurricane while we are there

I think this is a wise thought. Seconded.

I have started packing a few things too. I think your wife's 12 hours is very reasonable. I take about 12 days. (kidding)

Intend to try and squeeze them in

I think we will too. We tried to do One Man's Dream last December but it was crowded and the kids were restless so we ended up backing out of the staging area and leaving. The voyage show was cute, though, and my kids really liked it, and talked about Ariel's tail for DAYS.

 

[JoshAndEvsMom]

I confirmed that all the studios have toasters.

YES! I'm so glad you posted this because I was just about to call and ask the same thing! I'm not a big breakfast eater but it would be nice to bring some pop-tarts or bagels or something for the kiddos.

We are going incognito with our MB - DW and I are going as our favorite adventurers from the days of the Adventurers Club - daring pilot Hathaway Brown and adventuress / cabaret singer Samantha Sterling. (Hoping at least 1 Castmember catches on.) DD is going as her favorite teen superhero - Violet Parr.

Love the code names

-Saw the recent rumors about them closing "One Man's Dream" and "Little Mermaid" at DHS, which means we really should see these when we go. Intend to try and squeeze them in that first morning, which is good because I felt like there wasn't enough on our "to do" list.

Seems to be a lot of rumors flying around about closures. Even read one today predicting the closure of Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Belle. I've never made it into One Man's Dream but I do like the Little Mermaid show. Get some good pictures so you can say "I was there!" lol!

I find myself checking every couple of days the Atlantic Hurricane tracker on weather underground: http://www.wunderground.com/hurricane/
I don't much concern myself with the overall forecast. but I really would rather not have to deal with a hurricane while we are there. It's been an abnormally quiet season, which is partly to do with El Nino in the pacific. Typically a Hurricane shows off as a storm off the African coast about 10 days before it causes trouble in Florida. So far there's nothing to see...so hopefully it continues to stay quiet for the next two weeks out there. Or at least the next 4-5 days. Really would hate to have another trip disrupted by weather this year. (Our other vacation in February got really botched by weather both in and out, and our weekend in Toronto back in June was practically a complete rainout.)

I am OBSESSED with weather! If I was in your shoes, I'd be checking constantly too. I really, really hope you don't have to deal with hurricane weather!

 

[franandaj]

16 days is something to post about! It will be here soon!

 

[skier_pete]

I think this is a wise thought. Seconded.

I have started packing a few things too. I think your wife's 12 hours is very reasonable. I take about 12 days. (kidding).

We used to have fights all the time when leaving on vacation, as she would try to pack everything exactly right. I've learned to let her just be ridiculous about it and go to bed.

YES! I'm so glad you posted this because I was just about to call and ask the same thing! I'm not a big breakfast eater but it would be nice to bring some pop-tarts or bagels or something for the kiddos.

We talk about the "owner's locker". It seems excessively expensive though - especially with flying SWA and being able to take lots of bags that. But it would be nice to have a stash of stuff in Florida, so we could just leave behind and get it when we needed it. Can't quite bring myself to spend the money, though.

I am OBSESSED with weather! If I was in your shoes, I'd be checking constantly too. I really, really hope you don't have to deal with hurricane weather!

I purposefully didn't look today. Going to avoid it until Monday at least. If there's a storm coming, I'm sure I'll start looking at the track at least 5 times a day!

16 days is something to post about! It will be here soon!

Now it's 15! I'll share the picture from my countdown calendar for today - it's from your neck of the woods! The locale is pretty obvious...

 

[rteetz]

I know I'm late to the party Pete but I read everything to this point and am following along.