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

[Alexle2007]

Can you go to Hershey tommorow ? Seems like it’s going to at least be sunny around here by then. Cause it’s nasty out today.

We we’re spending the night in Hershey so I canceled the room. We’re about an hour from Hershey and could do a day but I think we are just going to pass. It’s not a big loss since we have APs but it’s just a nice little extra that we have done at either HP or Dutch Wonderland before that since DS was a toddler.

Are you in the area too?

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Struggling with decisions on flights for our Alaska cruise. Ds doesn’t want non-stop. Too long sitting without a break. And I can’t get from Vancouver to bwi the same day. So we’d have to do a red eye, spend another night in Vancouver, or another night in Seattle. Dca is a better option for flying home but no non-stops to sea on SW.

If I fly out Of Vancouver to Dca, I can do it for 100 k mr on 72k ur. If I use ur through car do I have csr insurance? I also have 70k aa miles but the one way is about 44k miles. Any thoughts?

I guess I’d do UR but hard decisions. AA seems too much. I don’t have MRs so not sure the value there but UR still seems a little better.

I’m struggling with our flights too, for USH/DLR I booked SW to BUR, but flights home from SNA were lots of points and no non stops. I booked SNA to MDW for 16k points but leaves at 815 am. Bleh. I can book AA for 28k miles pp, leave at noon on nonstop. But it’s a web special and can’t change once I’ve booked. Dilemmas.

 

[Jax1023]

We we’re spending the night in Hershey so I canceled the room. We’re about an hour from Hershey and could do a day but I think we are just going to pass. It’s not a big loss since we have APs but it’s just a nice little extra that we have done at either HP or Dutch Wonderland before that since DS was a toddler.

Are you in the area too?

I’m outside of philly. On the mainline. It’s just under an hour and a half to Hershey.
Every year we talk about going to hershey for Christmas candy lane and haven’t made it yet. Either the weathers bad, or one of the kids is sick, or there’s just too much other stuff going on.

 

[disfanforlife]

If I would’ve known it was going to rain so much I would’ve worn my Keen sandals. Dh and I both have a pair but didn’t realize it was going to rain so much. I still prefer an umbrella over a poncho

Last year we were down in December and we had one day that it rained so hard parts of MK were blocked off due to rivers of water running through.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Free shipping at ShopDisney.com today in case anyone still has shopping to do.
I told DH and DS there was a little purse I wanted from shopDisney a few weeks ago. DH comes to me last night and says how do I order this. Yes, through Rakuten. Yes, that purse. Yes login to Disney account. Which credit card? (At least he asked). Kind of takes the surprise out of it and he paid for shipping. Cheap little me saw the Free Ship this morning and chatted with ShopDisney and they nicely removed the shipping charge.

 

[reliev]

Thank you! I have heard that, and after stomping my feet a bit because they denied me, I realized I can forget Barclay and stick with Amex. I didn’t want their stupid card anyway.

yeah TBH besides the sign-up bonus the point earning is way better on the Amex trifecta then that Barclay MasterCard the certificate is nice on that card but at the same time unless you are Hawaii based its hard to use. If you want a sign-up bonus you can get an incognito Amex green card there is an annual fee but its 45k points but at least it's 3x on all travel including cruising, if it wasn't for chase being accepted more abroad then my AMEX I would debate getting this card. I like having my hands in a few buckets like investments with points as well. And No problem happy to help.

 

[reliev]

Anyone ever purchased a car from Carmax and been able to use a CC? Planning to not finance a car but wonder if I’d be allowed to charge a portion of it to a CC and didn’t know if anyone here had ever tried...

Of course I have like NOTHING for MSR right now other than $1000 on JB Biz. I’d been considering doing the Hyatt card for DH which has a 6k MSR though.

most dealerships will let you spend 5k on your card so I've gone with my 1.5x cards since there is no bonus spend. I tried to push one time on my last car they said they would but charge me a fee, then I looked into plastiq for it but it was 2.5% at the time I didn't think it was worth it for the points my goto for points is 2% or less (what I can get minimum value). But you should be able to get 5k most dealers allow this.

 

[Haley R]

Last year we were down in December and we had one day that it rained so hard parts of MK were blocked off due to rivers of water running through.

When we were walking through the Epcot parking lot there were puddles about 4-5 inches deep that we were walking through. We saw a spot in Epcot near the giant tree (front of world showcase) where half the sidewalk was covered in a deep puddle. People were walking around it but some people trudged through for some crazy reason.

 

[reliev]

Yes, you get CSR insurance coverage if you purchase the flights with UR via the their portal.

can’t help with the flights though. we haven’t been to Seattle or Vancouver.

is it cheaper out of IAD? I used to live up there I always found the award redemptions better out of IAD.
if you have AMEX points I think since delta is competitive there it might be fewer points I haven't searched though.

 

[disfanforlife]

When we were walking through the Epcot parking lot there were puddles about 4-5 inches deep that we were walking through. We saw a spot in Epcot near the giant tree (front of world showcase) where half the sidewalk was covered in a deep puddle. People were walking around it but some people trudged through for some crazy reason.

Maybe their feet were already soaked and they were too tired to walk around it??

 

[calypso726]

Up since 3:15 am. We checked in to the Waldorf Astoria last night to use our Hilton Aspire FN certs. What a nice resort! I will add a review on the hotel thread later.

Got up at 3:15 am as did a couple of our friends and we were at DHS by 4:10 am. There were already about 150 or so people there. They began letting us in through security by 5:10 am and we were first in line at the touch point. The park opened at 6:19 and we got boarding group 9. There were no boarding groups 1-7 so it’s like getting group 2. At 7:18 our group was called but we were on Rock n Rollercoaster. We got to the land and entered the queue at 7:45 and by 8:30 we were entering the ride experience. It. Was. Epic. We exited the ride about 9:20 am. There were a couple of moments that I was telling myself to pick my jaw up off the ground and close my mouth already. Holy poop emoji.

I can thank my favorite sock drawer card, the Hilton Aspire,for providing us with a free accommodations weekend at a really cool hotel. The view in front and the view behind at 5:15 in the morning.

 

[Haley R]

Maybe their feet were already soaked and they were too tired to walk around it??

It was a guy that set up a camera to take a family picture. After their picture he walked back through the puddle to get his camera lol. I saw a scooter drive through it which I thought was risky haha

 

[platamama]

Free shipping at ShopDisney.com today in case anyone still has shopping to do.
I told DH and DS there was a little purse I wanted from shopDisney a few weeks ago. DH comes to me last night and says how do I order this. Yes, through Rakuten. Yes, that purse. Yes login to Disney account. Which credit card? (At least he asked). Kind of takes the surprise out of it and he paid for shipping. Cheap little me saw the Free Ship this morning and chatted with ShopDisney and they nicely removed the shipping charge.

Well, at least he’s paying attention. And you’re saving money. I’d take that over a surprise.

 

[bernina]

Off topic but I used points to book

Is there a way to view Universal Orlando hotel reservations online like you can in MDE?

 

[havaneselover]

Booked YVR to DCA with UR points. Rebooked SW to SEA out of DCA. Cancelled park, sleep, and fly at BWI. I'll drive up to DCA the morning of the flight. Feeling productive and happy we should be getting home the day of the cruise (that's going to be a long day!) Also applied my Marriott certificate and cancelled a night in Seattle so my Marriott balance is up 70,000 points.

 

[Alexle2007]

Up since 3:15 am. We checked in to the Waldorf Astoria last night to use our Hilton Aspire FN certs. What a nice resort! I will add a review on the hotel thread later.

Got up at 3:15 am as did a couple of our friends and we were at DHS by 4:10 am. There were already about 150 or so people there. They began letting us in through security by 5:10 am and we were first in line at the touch point. The park opened at 6:19 and we got boarding group 9. There were no boarding groups 1-7 so it’s like getting group 2. At 7:18 our group was called but we were on Rock n Rollercoaster. We got to the land and entered the queue at 7:45 and by 8:30 we were entering the ride experience. It. Was. Epic. We exited the ride about 9:20 am. There were a couple of moments that I was telling myself to pick my jaw up off the ground and close my mouth already. Holy poop emoji.

I can thank my favorite sock drawer card, the Hilton Aspire,for providing us with a free accommodations weekend at a really cool hotel. The view in front and the view behind at 5:15 in the morning.

View attachment 458655

View attachment 458656

Nice! I am looking at using some of our FNC at the WA also. Did you get any upgrade for being Diamond?

 

[Alexle2007]

Off topic but I used points to book

Is there a way to view Universal Orlando hotel reservations online like you can in MDE?

Yes, if you have confirmation number.
https://res.windsurfercrs.com/ibe/change.aspx?hgID=641

 

[amalone1013]

I'm behind again, what a crazy week!

BIL who is sick has decided to come back for christmas, which is unexpected. Really I think he is coming the weekend before and going back christmas eve. I just wish he had told us this before because most likely DH will at least fly out there to help him get back here, and we could have easily made him DHs SW companion bc why not. ah well.

DHS first question for me after finding this out was.... do you want to go to Disneyland? Fly out a day early, day at DL, then fly BIL back?

 

[bernina]

Yes, if you have confirmation number.
https://res.windsurfercrs.com/ibe/change.aspx?hgID=641

Thanks! Since I used miles I don't see a confirmation number that seems to work. I sent Universal an email asking them to look up the reservation so hopefully they'll reply back to that.

 

[Judique]

@Judique - I think we have spoken/posted about IHG surveys through opinion check-in. Did you see that they are ending the program? I just logged on for the first time in months and this is on the homepage:

Starting the 31st of December 2019, you will no longer be able to take surveys or redeem rewards. Registration is also now closed.
We want to sincerely thank all our members for being a valuable part of this community.

Not a huge loss, but this is one way I currently keep my IHG points from expiring. One DQ every so often is all it takes so that I don't have to think about losing the points I have.

ETA - won't even let me log on to take a survey.

Yes, I did see this. And as soon as I got the email, I forgot about it! I do tend to have some activity at least once a year so I'm not overly concerned. I did like the surveys to get to an even number of points for a redemption some times. I also have the $49 credit card so a charge can generate activity.