I love credit cards so much! v2.0 (see first page for add'l details)

[palhockeymomof2]

CHASE SOUTHWEST 24 month REWARDS QUESTION. Do I have to wait 24 months after earning a bonus before applying fo a card with a bonus or does it just need to be 24 months between earning bonuses?

Thanks in advance for help.

Tim

you have to wait 24 months after earning the bonus to apply

 

[orangecuse]

@Judique thanks for mentioning that one! I added it on to our Epcot day! We shall see if we keep it but I snagged it for now.

 

[mmmears]

In Shoprunner news, an order placed Monday morning with Bloomingdales and shipped free 2-day with Shoprunner still isn't here. UPS said Thursday, and now they say Friday, and last time this happened it never showed up. DH talked to someone at Shoprunner who said that they don't have any control over shipping times and things taking longer than 2 days. He asked what they CAN control and they said "not charging you for the 2-day shipping," which isn't really worth much when the item is late... So we now have a middleman who doesn't care and who adds that extra layer between the shipper and the delivery service so those 2 also can't talk to each other. I'm not seeing this as something to consider as a benefit when weighing the cost of those Amex cards...

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I have updated the top level post on our Citi AA thread. I'd recommend that anybody who has gotten 3 (or more) AA bonuses over any 12 month period from 2017-2019 to take a look at the content posted there. This is a volatile situation - I will continue to recommend that all conversation of this go to DISchurners. Please note, this does not ONLY apply to people who were using mailers. This applies to anybody who was earning multiple AA bonuses from any issuer over the past 3 years.

DISchurners Discussion HERE

 

[Judique]

This may be an unpopular opinion, but I just did the Bon Voyage breakfast at Trattoria al Forno last week and it was the most underwhelming character breakfast. The only character meal I have done that is worse is Hollywood and Vine for dinner. The pastries were stale, the food was not good (pancakes were like lead), coffee was weak, and the characters besides Ariel sadly fell flat. Flynn basically said "hi" and walked away. Everything I had read from multiple sources (even including this thread) said this breakfast should be great so I am hoping I had an off day, but I just felt I should share my experience.

I watched the DIS review of Topolino's because I had it booked for the spring, but was reconsidering it after my less than stellar December character breakfast. I am still on the fence, but the characters really looked cute and unique. If your granddaughters have a favorite, Riviera even sells plush versions of each character in the special costume.

The Riviera is the first stop on the IG line before it goes to CBR. It could be nice, but depending on the time of your breakfast, IDK how crowded it would be with people heading to parks. If you're hesitant to try it, the drive wouldn't be far at all.

I'll be driving. And, I'll probably get there earlier than my ADR time. I figure if we have to wait we will get a chance to look around and maybe check out the outside terrace.

It's always good to hear another opinion, even if negative. The one thing you said was 'coffee was weak'. I like to have the press pots. By any chance was your coffee a press pot?

So now I have multiple ADR's when I really wasn't planning any at first. If I change breakfast to Topolino's, I will still have to have a table service on Tuesday, as I have a dining plan paid for. That leads me to another plan. The wheels are turning in my head.

Called my doc this morning and some prescriptions should arrive shortly. My sinus is just not letting up.

 

[Judique]

I was offered 10K MRs or $70 for 1.5k spend. Not bad, but not great either. The MR offer was better but I was going to take the points in any case. I have noticed that their cash/MR offers were equal (assuming 1¢ pp) in the past but seem to be lopsided these days. Good luck!

Interesting! I mostly want it in the form of cash because I'm the person who will turn MR's into gift cards for Home Depot anyway. And, with each annual fee, I like to see the fee covered early in the year, then the rest is gravy. I'll probably take whatever is offered since I've done well in the first year with this card.

 

[PolyRob]

I'll be driving. And, I'll probably get there earlier than my ADR time. I figure if we have to wait we will get a chance to look around and maybe check out the outside terrace.

It's always good to hear another opinion, even if negative. The one thing you said was 'coffee was weak'. I like to have the press pots. By any chance was your coffee a press pot?

So now I have multiple ADR's when I really wasn't planning any at first. If I change breakfast to Topolino's, I will still have to have a table service on Tuesday, as I have a dining plan paid for. That leads me to another plan. The wheels are turning in my head.

Called my doc this morning and some prescriptions should arrive shortly. My sinus is just not letting up.

I had the regular coffee included in the price, but there was press pot on the menu! I usually get the press pot at Kona and Grand Floridian Cafe and it is great. I think the sticker shock of the meal made me hesitant to add-on. I liked the QS coffee better.

 

[Judique]

@Judique thanks for mentioning that one! I added it on to our Epcot day! We shall see if we keep it but I snagged it for now.

You are welcome! I'm guessing it's Topolino's?

 

[punkin]

I was offered 10K MRs or $70 for 1.5k spend. Not bad, but not great either. The MR offer was better but I was going to take the points in any case. I have noticed that their cash/MR offers were equal (assuming 1¢ pp) in the past but seem to be lopsided these days. Good luck!

Yes. The points are a better deal if you value them at a penny a point.

 

[brownhaired_girl]

Im not sure how many of our friends fly Alaska Airlines, but this looked interesting.
https://www.alaskaair.com/content/deals/discount-code/lets-bogo

 

[Judique]

I had the regular coffee included in the price, but there was press pot on the menu! I usually get the press pot at Kona and Grand Floridian Cafe and it is great. I think the sticker shock of the meal made me hesitant to add-on. I liked the QS coffee better.

Well, I always have to assign value. Back when I first started to attend character meals, the characters had a value of about $5 added to the meal. This was a 'Disney' value of $5 as sometimes people got to attend character meals with their families and not eat. Disney would charge them $5. Doubt that happens now. And, I have to add in how much people would complain about the cost added to the meal!

The way I look at it now is that the characters have a value of approximately $15-$25 depending on the venue. So a $41 base price breakfast is $20 for characters and $21 for breakfast. Kids prices of $24 also divided accordingly.

So, when I decided to rationalize doing breakfast it was much easier to justify it as entertainment for the kiddos. That made the food cost 'reasonable', lol. To add to that, Pete Werner's video of his crew enjoying the food - the food looked decent at Topolino's. Pete complained a bit about the size of his steak versus the price, but I think he was negating the entertainment cost - he didn't have a $41 steak - it was pastries, steak and beverage for about $21 - reasonable!

Anyway, I'll have a press pot of coffee. The girls may want the premium drink if they see other kids with it. They will get it. YOLO, and I am the best Gammy! That said, I will be hurrying them past any plush available for sale at Riviera....

 

[StephPlum]

So Serve/Walmart computers having an issue today. Just stopped at the money center to start to liquidate the cards from staples and od/om. CSR said we’ll try but having issues all day. Didn’t load ☹

Maybe I’ll wait until after Christmas and hopefully the overload on computer systems is better.

Traffic was crazy so that is another reason not to venture out until after Christmas.

 

[StephPlum]

Broke in DH’s new Amex card today. I picked up my new iPad and bought a screen protector. My first MRs!!

 

[palhockeymomof2]

So Serve/Walmart computers having an issue today. Just stopped at the money center to start to liquidate the cards from staples and od/om. CSR said we’ll try but having issues all day. Didn’t load ☹

Maybe I’ll wait until after Christmas and hopefully the overload on computer systems is better.

Traffic was crazy so that is another reason not to venture out until after Christmas.

Crazy the serve website was down this morning too, looks like it’s still not working

edit..after researching, it appears the Serve issues are due to Jackson Hewitt offering Refund Advance Loans on Serve cards starting 12/18 and the number of people signing up

 

[PaintsWithAllTheColors]

Who is Tom Bricker?

I reserved it for the morning we leave at 10am. We have a 5 hour drive to Hilton Head, roughly, so, maybe I should do an earlier time slot. When I'm by myself, I leave late morning when going to HHead. Maybe I need to rethink the time back to 8am.

It's only been open since Monday. Bricker must have really liked something....

I know the link to his site/review has been posted above, so I won’t relink it. for what it’s worth, I generally really like his (and his wife’s) articles/reviews/opinions, and he was especially helpful when we went to Japan, as he and his wife have visited Japan and the TDR multiple times.

 

[Haley R]

I know the link to his site/review has been posted above, so I won’t relink it. for what it’s worth, I generally really like his (and his wife’s) articles/reviews/opinions, and he was especially helpful when we went to Japan, as he and his wife have visited Japan and the TDR multiple times.

We used all of his posts for our Japan trip too. I love their travel caffeine website

 

[PolyRob]

How cute!

http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2019/...RwFcWtwJU5E1x1zF5OYAlSC1vdao8nRiRhzUKsjUZD-30

 

[FoxC63]

Who is Tom Bricker?

I remember reading his stuff when he first started out. His writing style made for an easy read. What I have noticed though is he no longer bashes Disney the way he use to. By bashes I mean tell it like it really is. The change came when Disney contacted him and used a few of his photos for promotions, since then his stuff reads like he's the poster child. He did post about picture promotions so it's not a secret. I don't think his attitude has changed regarding TDR so that's awesome otherwise I don't bother anymore. He and his wife also do videos/youtube.

 

[AmyAnne]

Joining in the off-topic medical posts to ask if anyone here has researched the current shingles vaccine. DH and I are now old enough to be in the recommended age group, and I am seriously considering it. I am in general a very pro-vaxxer but I seem to recall some issues with the effectiveness of the previous shingles vaccine and maybe of this one too. I'm leaning toward getting it because shingles scares me more than a (possibly ineffective) vaccine but I'd be interested to hear the thoughts of you lovely people here.

Also, someone earlier today mentioned eggs and cholesterol. I did a lot of reading about eggs a few years ago when DH and I got serious about cutting carbs, and what I read convinced me that eggs really do not raise cholesterol. I'd also be interested in thoughts about that, too, even though I usually don't eat a lot of eggs.

 

[disfanforlife]

Joining in the off-topic medical posts to ask if anyone here has researched the current shingles vaccine. DH and I are now old enough to be in the recommended age group, and I am seriously considering it. I am in general a very pro-vaxxer but I seem to recall some issues with the effectiveness of the previous shingles vaccine and maybe of this one too. I'm leaning toward getting it because shingles scares me more than a (possibly ineffective) vaccine but I'd be interested to hear the thoughts of you lovely people here.

Also, someone earlier today mentioned eggs and cholesterol. I did a lot of reading about eggs a few years ago when DH and I got serious about cutting carbs, and what I read convinced me that eggs really do not raise cholesterol. I'd also be interested in thoughts about that, too, even though I usually don't eat a lot of eggs.

My hubby and I got our first shingles shot a couple months ago. I have friends who had shingles and wanted to do whatever I could to hopefully not get them.