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

[MKTokyo]

Yes - i have seen PE rtn flights on delta BOS- LHR for $350 in taxes, sure beats the $800 on Virgin or BA - the tradeoff is delta requires 80000 miles whereas virgin is 45 - 55000. If I was rich in Delta miles i would certainly be booking that more often.

Ours was Delta JFK-LHR. I didn't realize the price got higher on UK airlines. That's definitely something to consider, then, if you can rack up MR as easily as or more easily than UR.

 

[hulagirl]

My new bill generated and I was able to apply 3, $100 GCs as prepayment without a disclaimer that I would lose my auto-pay discount. This makes me very happy and is a new way that I can pay my wireless bill on an MSR card

Is there a $300 prepay limit? I need to do this soon as well and was really glad to read this so thank you for sharing.

 

[Haley R]

OK - I don't know which dates you were using so I looked at some random dates in May(which I know is earlier than you want to travel) and PE round trip for 3 from Miami was coming up as 298k URs. Are you on a 1.5x or 1.25x multiplier for UR's? Can't remember if you have a CSR or no.

And whilst Virgins PE is the best transatlantic PE product I have tried, I would not hesitate to fly BA or AA if the price was significantly lower. Also Delta seem to be rolling out PE on some transatlantic routes.

I was looking at flights out of Orlando when I was looking through the chase portal (for September). That’s why it was so much higher. Dh used to have the CSR but we don’t anymore. I plan to get one early next year, maybe in April.

It seems like if we want to fly with Virgin it’ll have to be out of Miami. If we want to go out of Orlando it’ll have to be someone else otherwise we’ll be wasting way too many URs. Thanks for your input on the other airlines. I wasn’t sure what people thought of some of the others. Do you know anything about Finnair? That one showed up as an option

 

[Haley R]

Taxes & fees on award tickets (well, all tickets, I guess, but when the price of the ticket is otherwise $0, it hurts) to the UK are so expensive. This year we did PE & it cost us about $350. Next year we decided to go back, booked in J & it cost us almost double that While that's obviously cheaper than paying OOP for the whole flight, it's still an additional expense. I don't know if you'd have to pay taxes & fees for a lap baby. I hope not, since they're not a ticketed passenger.

The fees for virgin are $800 per person for PE. At least for the flights I was looking at. If we fly PE the baby will get its own seat. The only way I would do it as a lap infant is if we fly business, but most airlines charge 10% of an adult fare for the lap infant which can add up pretty fast. I’m thinking PE will be the better option so the baby can have its own seat and be buckled in.

 

[Haley R]

Yes - i have seen PE rtn flights on delta BOS- LHR for $350 in taxes, sure beats the $800 on Virgin or BA - the tradeoff is delta requires 80000 miles whereas virgin is 45 - 55000. If I was rich in Delta miles i would certainly be booking that more often.

The only nice thing about Virgin is we could transfer points directly to get the 45k price point. We couldn’t do that with delta but we could still book with URs if it’s a lot lower. The seating and everything just looks so much better with virgin

 

[Judique]

I can't do it. I tried. I just can't do it.

I cannot book a character meal for the grandchildren.

Just spent an hour plus on the Disney website trying to decide what to book. And I just spent 8 days and nights feeding them. One will be 4 and the other doesn't turn 3 until after our January trip. So, I would get 2 for the price of 1 and I still can't do it.

First of all, the prices - anywhere from $41 plus tax and tip for me starting with breakfast. $24 is the cheapest I saw for a child. It would go like this: one scrambled egg, a piece of bacon or sausage, either milk or juice and a couple of pieces of cut up fruit. Or, some dry cereal with milk. Including my breakfast and coffee, this would cost minimum of $65 plus tax and tip. Over $80 and no guarantee they would eat 2 bites. And the higher priced meals are as high as $35 for the child, and $54 for the adult for breakfast. Maybe with 2 adults that would actually eat.....

I have the money, er, stash of gift cards. Yup - I'm just plain cheap! Or cannot condone the expense of this and the waste. Problem is I've done it all in the past, so now it looks outrageous.

We already have the character photos from the last 2 visits with the kids. So it's not such a lost opportunity. I'll go ahead and get quick service for 1 or 2 nights, and then eat where we feel hungry or what we prefer. I need to do this before my nights are combined as otherwise I'll end up with dining for all 4 nights. Too much food and there are places that I want to eat that aren't dining plan.

Plus, this morning I changed the reservation again. We are now in a Boardwalk view room for 4 nights and then we go to Hilton Head to a one bedroom for the next 2 nights. I'm still trying to get Saturday night - Jan 11, and it's not looking good - the marathon is that weekend but will be over for our Sunday the 12th vacation start.

 

[MickeyMouseCD524]

Ok, I am still debating this teacher gift situation. I have a Ghiradelli bag of chocolates for all of DS’s teachers (9 of them). His specials I was thinking a $10 GC and his other teachers $50 GCs. Too little for private school? I have no idea what the expectation is. I did hand write a thank you note to all of them.

I'm not sure what specials are but that feels on par with what we did for the private school teachers.

I am hopelessly behind after visiting WDW so it looks like the news thread will come to my rescue! Still trying to catch-up while I can. Don't be alarmed by "reactions" from posts dating a week back

I'm in the same boat!

Dh is someone who never buys merch for himself. He decided he loved the chip and dale passholder shirt at Epcot. Of course they’re sold out but I can buy it on eBay for $62.50

I looked all over the parks last week and now I'm also searching eBay extremely annoyed that they're being flipped for that much.

 

[Haley R]

I'm not sure what specials are but that feels on par with what we did for the private school teachers.

I'm in the same boat!



I looked all over the parks last week and now I'm also searching eBay extremely annoyed that they're being flipped for that much.

We just gave up. The person I saw selling them on EBay even lists any size available so they obviously bought quite a few of them. I feel so bad for Dh because he seriously never buys anything for himself at Disney but he loved that shirt.

Also, you didn’t ask me but specials are like PE, art, music, library, guidance.

 

[MickeyMouseCD524]

We just gave up. I feel so bad for Dh because he seriously never buys anything for himself at Disney but he loved that shirt.

Also, you didn’t ask me but specials are like PE, art, music, library, guidance.

Yeah the shirt is just too expensive on eBay but it was super cute!

Oh! I had never heard them referred to as specials.

 

[amalone1013]

Off topic, but remember a few weeks back I was talking about how I didn't want to use PTO for the hours I was off which would have pushed me up into OT levels of hours, just wanted to use enough to get me to 40 hours? Well so far, no one has corrected me! And one of the periods with that has come and gone and paid out, and the other one will be my last paycheck of the year but it has already been reviewed by my supervisor and HR and neither have corrected me on it. Woohoo! This is something like 22 hrs in PTO I have saved between the two periods then.

 

[punkin]

I can't do it. I tried. I just can't do it.

I cannot book a character meal for the grandchildren.

Just spent an hour plus on the Disney website trying to decide what to book. And I just spent 8 days and nights feeding them. One will be 4 and the other doesn't turn 3 until after our January trip. So, I would get 2 for the price of 1 and I still can't do it.

First of all, the prices - anywhere from $41 plus tax and tip for me starting with breakfast. $24 is the cheapest I saw for a child. It would go like this: one scrambled egg, a piece of bacon or sausage, either milk or juice and a couple of pieces of cut up fruit. Or, some dry cereal with milk. Including my breakfast and coffee, this would cost minimum of $65 plus tax and tip. Over $80 and no guarantee they would eat 2 bites. And the higher priced meals are as high as $35 for the child, and $54 for the adult for breakfast. Maybe with 2 adults that would actually eat.....

I have the money, er, stash of gift cards. Yup - I'm just plain cheap! Or cannot condone the expense of this and the waste. Problem is I've done it all in the past, so now it looks outrageous.

We already have the character photos from the last 2 visits with the kids. So it's not such a lost opportunity. I'll go ahead and get quick service for 1 or 2 nights, and then eat where we feel hungry or what we prefer. I need to do this before my nights are combined as otherwise I'll end up with dining for all 4 nights. Too much food and there are places that I want to eat that aren't dining plan.

Plus, this morning I changed the reservation again. We are now in a Boardwalk view room for 4 nights and then we go to Hilton Head to a one bedroom for the next 2 nights. I'm still trying to get Saturday night - Jan 11, and it's not looking good - the marathon is that weekend but will be over for our Sunday the 12th vacation start.

I never saw character meals as food when my kids were that age. There was no way they could ever eat enough to justify the prices. It's just entertainment and you have to decide if the character interaction is worth it, without having food in the equation. In fact, my kids would get so excited and not eat at all and then I would have to feed them again after we left.

 

[GZanta77]

I was looking at flights out of Orlando when I was looking through the chase portal (for September). That’s why it was so much higher. Dh used to have the CSR but we don’t anymore. I plan to get one early next year, maybe in April.

It seems like if we want to fly with Virgin it’ll have to be out of Miami. If we want to go out of Orlando it’ll have to be someone else otherwise we’ll be wasting way too many URs. Thanks for your input on the other airlines. I wasn’t sure what people thought of some of the others. Do you know anything about Finnair? That one showed up as an option

Sorry - have no experience of FinnAir.

 

[DisneyMandC]

Straight up denied for Amex Gold just now lol. Not even the popup, just "nope, declined." I don't think I've ever just been outright denied a card haha.

Amex really hates me, y'all.

ETA: I called recon since I have nothing to hide with Amex. They told me I had "too many open and closed accounts." Apparently one open Bonvoy Biz I've had more than a year and one closed Hilton Biz is too many accounts...

 

[Haley R]

Sorry - have no experience of FinnAir.

Darn okay. I’m off to do some research lol

 

[miztressuz]

Is there a $300 prepay limit? I need to do this soon as well and was really glad to read this so thank you for sharing.

Unless it changed very recently Verizon and Verizon Wireless will let you have a $500 credit balance at any time. If you try to do more than that it would reject the payment. Once you spend some down you can prepay up to $500 limit again.

 

[Judique]

I'm trying to be realistic with my trip with the grands in January which is coming up fast. Not too worried about fast passes but may need to make a few. Since they are so young, I'm not looking for headliners and can usually find the things I need last minute.

We will be arriving on Sunday afternoon. No park time scheduled for this day. One grandchild will need a ticket, the other is still free.

I've debated getting the 'after 12' ticket for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday - the 3 possible full park days. I have my annual pass which takes care of me. However, can't find it on Disney's website for January.

Reality is I'm not going to spend 3 full days in the parks with the girls. It is more like a few hours here or there, then off to a restaurant and back to our room. If it is warm enough midday, they will want the pool and playground right at the resort. They love hotels! Hotel means pool to them.

I could do a park hopper and a mega day of parks on one day. But I think the after 12 ticket would work best, if it becomes available. The thing I don't want to do is turn it into an ordeal for me and them.

 

[Judique]

I never saw character meals as food when my kids were that age. There was no way they could ever eat enough to justify the prices. It's just entertainment and you have to decide if the character interaction is worth it, without having food in the equation. In fact, my kids would get so excited and not eat at all and then I would have to feed them again after we left.

You are correct. As they get older it becomes more satisfying, I think - maybe 6,7, 8 years old. We will do the meet and greets or whatever they are called now. We did quite a few on other visits. Maybe we will get a decent Mickey/Minnie visit and be happy with that. For them there are few expectations, so not like I'm going to disappoint them.

 

[Judique]

Straight up denied for Amex Gold just now lol. Not even the popup, just "nope, declined." I don't think I've ever just been outright denied a card haha.

Amex really hates me, y'all.

ETA: I called recon since I have nothing to hide with Amex. They told me I had "too many open and closed accounts." Apparently one open Bonvoy Biz I've had more than a year and one closed Hilton Biz is too many accounts...

Sorry, it's a deflating experience. Happened to me with Hilton Aspire but with a popup. I was half expecting it, but still annoyed that I was rejected, lol. And my gold just posted it's $250 fee. At least you don't have to deal with that.

 

[GZanta77]

You are correct. As they get older it becomes more satisfying, I think - maybe 6,7, 8 years old. We will do the meet and greets or whatever they are called now. We did quite a few on other visits. Maybe we will get a decent Mickey/Minnie visit and be happy with that. For them there are few expectations, so not like I'm going to disappoint them.

As a counter point - I would say our best memories of a character meal was a breakfast at Crystal Palace when DS was 4. He really engaged with the characters, ate more than I think we had ever seen him eat for breakfast...and the best part, as we were heading towards the door on our way out, Pooh was standing in front of the buffet and DS let go of my hand and ran to Pooh and gave him a massive hug for like 20 seconds. It was just so awesome to watch the joy on his face that day.

 

[DisneyMandC]

Sorry, it's a deflating experience. Happened to me with Hilton Aspire but with a popup. I was half expecting it, but still annoyed that I was rejected, lol. And my gold just posted it's $250 fee. At least you don't have to deal with that.

True, especially since I'm about to PC a CSP to a CSR. But it's like... really, two accounts is too many?

DH was approved for CIU this morning though so I'll just keep my business with Chase lol. I'd like to pick up another card for me at some point soon but not sure what I'd like to get.