I could get used to a view like this. Guys, I want a castle.–Oct TR ( I'm BACK!!!)

[jenneth79]

So, I started scanning in some of the "potential" pictures to use for our trip, along with some absolutely hilarious "outtakes", if you will:

Exhibit A:
Taken in Orlando, Florida (I think this was the Hilton) 1985
Title: Dear Parents: Don't try this at home....

My love (read: obsession) with Chuckles began on our trips to Disney when I was very young. It was something my dad would give me and I could have one piece a day...which I always saved the licorice for last. However, this picture goes FAR beyond that. Not only do I have the Chuckles, but I had a Coca Cola....and a Disney Lollipop. You can pick out the evidence of said lollipop all over young Jen's face.

Ironically, there aren't any more pictures of this day following this shot... hmmm... coincidence?

Exhibit B:
Taken at San Angel Inn, Epcot, June 1985
Title: What is UP with this salad?

Anyone who has read my Dining Review from September will get the humor in this.


And, finally, a picture I think we will use on our trip.... this one was of my DH when he was a wee little lad:

Mike thinks he looks like he was drunk. I think it's the most adorable picture I have ever seen. This may be due to the fact that I think he's cute when he's tipsy. Hmm....

Anyway, THIS picture we will most definitely be using on our trip.... it is in the pile of those to be blown up into a larger format.

That's it for now.... I'm roasting here in VA today, 94 degrees at 2pm, and it will get up to 100. Did I mention my A/C isn't working? Yeah, fun times....

 

[407-W-DISNEY]

Those pics are great! you look sooo cute..and so does your hubby..

it also about 94 here in MA...yesterday was even hotter...luckily my office at work is really cold...which is the only good on days like today...

 

[PixieMama]

Ditto! While digging through old photos last night I also found these!!!

DD9 says she'll be happy to take the Meeko and Mickey ones off your hands!

 

[PixieMama]

Oh, my stars! The 2 of you are adorable. Love the teacup photo... that one should be used in your project, for sure!

I looked at the weather last night on my phone... the current temp at 9:40 p.m. was NINETY ONE.

Is it fall yet?

 

[jenneth79]

Those pics are great! you look sooo cute..and so does your hubby..

it also about 94 here in MA...yesterday was even hotter...luckily my office at work is really cold...which is the only good on days like today...

Thanks, the old pictures are so much fun to go through!

I hope things have cooled down for you. Today is gorgeous and only 81 degrees! I hear the heat is coming back this weekend, though.....

DD9 says she'll be happy to take the Meeko and Mickey ones off your hands!

Too funny! She'll have to fight Mike for that Mickey one, though.... he saw it, picked it up, and said MINE!

I don't remember agreeing to that when I married him....hmmm.....

Oh, my stars! The 2 of you are adorable. Love the teacup photo... that one should be used in your project, for sure!

I looked at the weather last night on my phone... the current temp at 9:40 p.m. was NINETY ONE.

Is it fall yet?

I know. I typically say "oh, I don't want the summer to fly by..." I take it back... FLY BY SUMMER!

 

[ghtx]

Just caught up on your PTR. Looking forward to reading the rest of your plans!

 

[PrincessAmongPrinces]

Hi Jen!

I just got all caught up on your PTR. You have some great plans so far! Your ADR list is amazing!! And it sounds like quite the luxurious trip! First class flights and CL? Wow!!

I love the "back in the day" pictures of your and your DH. So adorable!

Can't wait to hear more!

 

[SoccerDogWithEars]

I collect pressed pennies!!! I seriously have like 50 from Disney, but I get one wherever we do that I can find a machine. I've never paid attention to the dates though...I just use a shiny one.

 

[jenneth79]

So, yeah. The news yesterday morning of yet MORE construction at the Grand Floridian and no hope of a room discount (Or free dining) in sight, I've gone an changed our resort.... to the Polynesian Club Level!

We've never stayed at the Poly before! Anyone have opinions?

I'm also starting to seriously look at all of our ADRs and probably going to make a few sacrifices in the name of saving money. I'm going to make a ranked list of our choices and vote w/ my DH on these..... I'm thinking Hollywood Brown Derby is next on the chopping block in favor of a Kona lunch.

A lot of these changes are due to some real life drama. I just found out that the commission / bonus payments I usually get every month (which area pretty hefty!) are going away. That's a serious pay cut for me and I'm trying to figure out ways to still make this a very magical trip.....on less.

 

[smile4stamps]

So, yeah. The news yesterday morning of yet MORE construction at the Grand Floridian and no hope of a room discount (Or free dining) in sight, I've gone an changed our resort.... to the Polynesian Club Level!

We've never stayed at the Poly before! Anyone have opinions?

I'm also starting to seriously look at all of our ADRs and probably going to make a few sacrifices in the name of saving money. I'm going to make a ranked list of our choices and vote w/ my DH on these..... I'm thinking Hollywood Brown Derby is next on the chopping block in favor of a Kona lunch.

A lot of these changes are due to some real life drama. I just found out that the commission / bonus payments I usually get every month (which area pretty hefty!) are going away. That's a serious pay cut for me and I'm trying to figure out ways to still make this a very magical trip.....on less.

Aww! I'm sorry to hear you are not going to be able to stay at the GF! The Poly should still be awesome though!!

Also sad to hear about the lack of bonuses! That would be a major bummer!!

Have you thought about not doing CL? I've never stayed CL so I guess I don't know what I am missing!

 

[midwesternbelle]

I am joining in! I know i am a bit late but hey... better late than never?

Anyways i love the plans so far! Waiting for the next update!

 

[emmysmommy]

Jen I'm joining in as well!! Sorry GF didn't work out but the Poly is ohhh so lovely!

Cute kiddie photos!

 

[jenneth79]

Just caught up on your PTR. Looking forward to reading the rest of your plans!

Thanks! Now that I'm all crazy rearranging everything, I'm looking forward to knowing what they are as well!

Hi Jen!

I just got all caught up on your PTR. You have some great plans so far! Your ADR list is amazing!! And it sounds like quite the luxurious trip! First class flights and CL? Wow!!

I love the "back in the day" pictures of your and your DH. So adorable!

Can't wait to hear more!

Thanks! We are having so much fun going through old pictures and picking out the perfect ones for our little "plan".... (insert evil laughter here).

I collect pressed pennies!!! I seriously have like 50 from Disney, but I get one wherever we do that I can find a machine. I've never paid attention to the dates though...I just use a shiny one.

I should go over my whole "cleaning pennies" drama from last wek. Pain. In. De. Butt.

Now I need to go buy some Mentos so I have holders!

Aww! I'm sorry to hear you are not going to be able to stay at the GF! The Poly should still be awesome though!!

Also sad to hear about the lack of bonuses! That would be a major bummer!!

Have you thought about not doing CL? I've never stayed CL so I guess I don't know what I am missing!

I'm taking it as a sign that the GF just wasn't ready for our fabulousness. Perhaps we can book a bounce back offer for a trip there next year, and the construction won't be such an issue. I'm kind of excited about checking out Poly though, perhaps because it's never been on our radar as a place we'd want to stay.

Usually this means I end up loving the place. Go figure.

I am joining in! I know i am a bit late but hey... better late than never?

Anyways i love the plans so far! Waiting for the next update!

and thanks for joining in!

You're really not all that late, as I've been really lax in getting my bum to the computer to write up our plans! Perhaps I knew, deep down, they were all going to change anyway.

Next update will be here tomorrow!

Jen I'm joining in as well!! Sorry GF didn't work out but the Poly is ohhh so lovely!

Cute kiddie photos!

Another to you! I have to say the IPO at the Poly has been awesome so far, and that's just within 24 hours of our change!

 

[jenneth79]

Aww! I'm sorry to hear you are not going to be able to stay at the GF! The Poly should still be awesome though!!

Also sad to hear about the lack of bonuses! That would be a major bummer!!

Have you thought about not doing CL? I've never stayed CL so I guess I don't know what I am missing!

Ok, so somehow I missed actually responding here..... need more coffee....

The bonuses really do stink, but I have to keep telling myself that I still have a job... that's the important thing. The fact that the bonus money only ever went to fun stuff and not bills does put it in much clearer perspective for me, I suppose, but it has certainly hurt morale here!

We did think about not doing CL, but I decided against it for a few reasons:

1. We don't eat big breakfasts, but we are still breakfast people. The options in CL help us get enough to get us going in the morning.

2. Again in the afternoon, CL is perfect for a beer or two, something that hurts to pay 9 dollars for each beer in the parks. Now, between this and number 1, we're only saving 40 dollars / day probably, which doesn't justify the cost difference per se, but....

3. I'm a CL snob. We've just gotten spoiled staying CL on our trips to Disney. The little bit of extra "magic" is pretty awesome, and the room locations (at least at CR and YC) are pretty fantastic in our experience.

I already came to the conclusion a few months ago that I probably wouldn't get any kind of room discount (ugh...still none out there...) so I have already paid off everything at rack rate. If we get a discount to apply in the next 45 days, then I'll get a bit of spending money back. For now, we're just looking to cut expenses while we're there, so I don't have to save as much. One thing we DON'T want to do is whip out the credit card. That would be very bad.

 

[Chelley00]

We stayed at the Poly last trip. We liked it, but had some issues. Being next to the monorail is awesome, and the rooms are HUGE HUGE HUGE. Love being able to get a drink at the pool bar and watch Wishes from the beach, and we really liked Capn Cooks. We just found it way too busy all the time: people coming and going for ADRs and the Luau, people coming to watch the fireworks and EWP on the beach etc.

 

[Nermel9]

I've only stayed at BC Club Level, but I've heard the Poly CL is pretty awesome!

I'm kind of annoyed about the lack of discounts too, but at least they finally released free dining today! I changed my reservation to free dining for now, but I'm waiting for a GP room discount OR an AP discount for November. I'm assuming the GP discounts will be in August, when the current ones expire, but who knows when the AP discounts for October/November will be released...I wish it would be in August or at least the beginning of September so I can decide if I want to renew my AP! Don't lose hope though, there probably will be something, it's just a question of when! I got really discouraged today, but whatever, as long as I have this all sorted out before my 45 day mark, I don't really care!

 

[SoccerDogWithEars]

If it makes you feel better, my mom's company stopped doing bonuses a couple of years ago, which is why we haven't been since then. This year, we're budgeting so extreme that she's canceled the Netflix subscription (which I don't mind, we only had instant streaming and there was never anything good). She also canceled the home phone, which again, isn't a huge deal since we all have cell phones. But she's also trying to cut back on utilities, which means our thermostat is set on 79. In 110 degree weather. And two of our ceiling fans at home don't work. Thankfully I'm interning in Hilton Head. But apparently I have inherited this budgeting gene, as we don't have cable. The one summer I pick to give up cable, and it's a very dramatic Tour de France, and the Olympics are coming on. Sigh.

 

[PixieMama]

Ugh, sorry about the commission/bonus money being taken away. Where's the dislike button for that?!

And bummer you won't get to stay at GF but it sounds like you're making the best of the situation!

BTW, did you ever get the ADR for 'Ohana?

 

[407-W-DISNEY]

Hi Jen,
How are you??
soo...I am just catching up now (sorry!)....I see free dining is out...so did you change back to the GF??
I think you will LOVE the Poly! The location of the CL building is perfect (we didn't stay CL that time), but I have heard great things...I did hear they have a Dole Whip machine!! and the fact that you can walk to the TTC is great!

 

[kymmyk13]

We will be there the same time as you. I am taking DD7 and having a mother daughter trip. Our dates are also 13-22. We are also doing CRT on the 14th but our time is 10 since DD is going to BBB first. Here is our schedule unless I change it again.

14- MK
15- Epcot
16 AK
17 MK
18 HS
19 hop around to see what we have missed

Maybe we will see you there.