I love credit cards so much! v4.0 - 2021 (see first page for add'l details)

[Judique]

The wireless credit of $15 credited on my Marriott Amex Biz card today. My wirless bill is usually about $18.xx, so it's almost covered for the rest of this year for a total of $165.

My old Amex Bonvoy also received it's $10 credit, and this will easily cover the $95 annual fee, leaving the FNC truly free.

 

[Limes96]

I'd make the fun memory and stay until Saturday and either hang in the Keys or drive up to Disney.

Nice! Which resort are you at? We’ll be there next month. Hopefully the Disney crowds die down. Fri was busy and yesterday and today were even worse. Epcot at capacity when there is basically nothing there...

This is my favorite thing about the flexibility of SW points flights. We often book alternative returns, just in case. More often than not, we end up using the longest vacation options. I cannot recall a single time we regretted taking or extending a vacation. Make the memories. This stage of your lives will be over before you know it.

Staying in the Keys or going back to ice and snow? Going to Disney or going back to ice and snow? I love that you have options and can skip the ice and snow!

Enjoy the time with your DD! My older DD came to visit with the 2 GD's today for a few hours. I can remember when she was 17, and now she is 42! Time seems to have flown. There's something to be said for actually living in the moment.

Thanks for all the support! My only problem is I feel guilty having left DH home alone with the cats when he’d rather be here with us otherwise it would be the easiest decision in the world.

 

[Psychodisney]

Thanks for all the support! My only problem is I feel guilty having left DH home alone with the cats when he’d rather be here with us otherwise it would be the easiest decision in the world.

My DH encouraged me to stay in Naples for February. (Loving it BTW) I feel a little guilty every morning I log into my computer and see the frigid snowy forecast in Chicago! I'm sure your DH is a little jealous but ultimately happy you're enjoying your trip!

 

[hsmamato2]

I love WandaVision too! Also been watching All Creatures Great and Small on PBS. I read James Herriot’s animal stories to my kids when they were little.

I've been watching that one too....so charming (altho as a fan of the books as usual I prefer books to video story) love the actors!

 

[Limes96]

So just in case it works out, does anyone know how to work things with Disney gift cards now? I deleted all mine before they switched things over and of course I didn't bring any of them with me. I have about 2k on them. My DH can get them out and get me the info on them. How can I get access to my Disney mad money? I can stop somewhere and buy a fresh one on the way.

 

[pinkxray]

I used my Amex platinum on eBay. $230 payed through PayPal on FEb.1. No $30 credit yet.
My auto charge for Starz went through Feb. 8 for $5.31paid with PayPal.
$5.31credit shows Feb.11?
Should I just wait it out and see if the PayPal charge at Ebay goes through or contact them?

Still no wireless credit on Marriott or $5 credit for dining on the Hilton, both from Feb 4

 

[gottalovepluto]

So I took my DD17 on a mental health long weekend to the keys. Our flight back to Ohio is Tuesday. Looking at the forecast I’m thinking WHY. Why go back on Tuesday. Do I think she will have school at all next week? Maybe 1 day. Two at the most. What would you do? I decided to book flights for just in case scenarios. One for Wednesday and now one for Saturday morning. She’s begging me to take her up to Disney.

You’re asking a bunch of Disney fans if you should go to Disney? Of course! ...jkjk

Crowds this weekend sound horrible, looking at the calendar they might continue into Tues as MK is full. DHS is full until Sun so there you would have to park hop to do the park after 2pm so no chance at a ROTR BG if that’s important.

I went to WDW last week and had a blast, crowds were only big to me on the non-holiday weekend and I don’t mind the Covid spacing & cutbacks. If crowds matter to you this week is looking unpredictable so you would want to be able to go with the flow. I’m wondering if a new crop of vacationers are hitting parks this week since Mon is a holiday?

Staying in the Keys sounds like a good call, Disney might be a good call depending on your desire to do the whole Disney thing. Gotta admit if I was chilling down in the Keys on a mental health break it would be hard to switch my mind into Disney park mode.

 

[Psychodisney]

So just in case it works out, does anyone know how to work things with Disney gift cards now? I deleted all mine before they switched things over and of course I didn't bring any of them with me. I have about 2k on them. My DH can get them out and get me the info on them. How can I get access to my Disney mad money? I can stop somewhere and buy a fresh one on the way.

Your login now is the same as your other Disney password for MDE etc. Have him send you a picture of the backs of the cards. Enter those in. Buy a new one, enter that and transfer the other balances to the new card(s). Off to WDW you go!

 

[gottalovepluto]

I used my Amex platinum on eBay. $230 payed through PayPal on FEb.1. No $30 credit yet.
My auto charge for Starz went through Feb. 8 for $5.31paid with PayPal.
$5.31credit shows Feb.11?
Should I just wait it out and see if the PayPal charge at Ebay goes through or contact them?

Still no wireless credit on Marriott or $5 credit for dining on the Hilton, both from Feb 4

Feb 1 credits have not been processing. I had to eat my PP from 2/1 as I needed to close the card last week and neither of my wireless credits from 2/1 have processed.

 

[staceychev]

Decided to book a trip to Universal for March Spring Break (from the cancelled cruise that became the cancelled trip to Cabo...). Never been and we are going to Disney in May so figured this would be a good time to try out Universal. Got a great AP Rate for Cabana Beach Resort (about $1000 for the week). Booked a car service with CSR UR's - only 8100 points RT.

Question on tickets. So, I am going to get the seasonal AP tickets as they are not much more than a 4 day ticket. I can book a 4 day ticket with UR's. Can I get that with points and then upgrade these to AP once we get there? And can we do that at the hotel or do we have to do that at one of the parks?

Very excited to try something new. Volcano Bay opens up right before we are there so going to include all 3 parks in the AP's. Now I have to read up on everything as I know NOTHING about Universal. Especially the rides that are Roller Coasters - I can't do those (except the small ones like Thunder Mountain and Mine Train). Any input would be great. Thanks.

Ooh! Exciting! We went to Universal in Dec 18 as a surprise long weekend for my Harry Potter addicts. There were tears of joy. We stayed in Cabana Bay - I'm not an experienced enough traveler to know how to do this, but look into room refurbs. We stayed in a family suite that hadn't been refurbished, and it was pretty worn. If there's a way to get a refurbished room, definitely look into that. In addition to watching the Universal board on DIS, you can subscribe to the Universal Community by Orlando Informer on FB. Those people are really savvy!

 

[ski_mom]

I used my Amex platinum on eBay. $230 payed through PayPal on FEb.1. No $30 credit yet.
My auto charge for Starz went through Feb. 8 for $5.31paid with PayPal.
$5.31credit shows Feb.11?
Should I just wait it out and see if the PayPal charge at Ebay goes through or contact them?

Still no wireless credit on Marriott or $5 credit for dining on the Hilton, both from Feb 4

Same thing happened to me. I had 2 ebay auctions I paid with PP that totaled around $21. I had another ebay payment through PP for $15 on 2/8. I got the AmEx credit for the $15 today. In my case, I think I'll just pay for something else through PP and be done with it. If I didn't have other purchases coming up, I might try to contact them too.

 

[Limes96]

Your login now is the same as your other Disney password for MDE etc. Have him send you a picture of the backs of the cards. Enter those in. Buy a new one, enter that and transfer the other balances to the new card(s). Off to WDW you go!

So it’s the same gc website as before, just different login?

 

[Alexle2007]

We've been at the Hampton inn in Marathon for two nights and we're going to Baker's Cay tomorrow. I figured it would be pretty busy at Disney this weekend but maybe it won't be as bad during the week this week? Still not sure what we're doing. It shouldn't be a problem to decide Tuesday morning.

Can’t wait to hear about Baker’s Cay! That’s one of resorts for Spring Break.

 

[Limes96]

You’re asking a bunch of Disney fans if you should go to Disney? Of course! ...jkjk

Crowds this weekend sound horrible, looking at the calendar they might continue into Tues as MK is full. DHS is full until Sun so there you would have to park hop to do the park after 2pm so no chance at a ROTR BG if that’s important.

I went to WDW last week and had a blast, crowds were only big to me on the non-holiday weekend and I don’t mind the Covid spacing & cutbacks. If crowds matter to you this week is looking unpredictable so you would want to be able to go with the flow. I’m wondering if a new crop of vacationers are hitting parks this week since Mon is a holiday?

Staying in the Keys sounds like a good call, Disney might be a good call depending on your desire to do the whole Disney thing. Gotta admit if I was chilling down in the Keys on a mental health break it would be hard to switch my mind into Disney park mode.

I’m dying to get back to Disney despite all the changes, but yes the whole purpose of this trip was recharging and soaking up some vitamin d. If DD was ambivalent I’d just stay in the keys, but she’s begging to go. Never done such a last minute trip before though so we’d be flexible out of necessity I’m sure.

 

[staceychev]

Spider-Man, Jimmy Fallon and Transformers are very similar . They are all indoors and the ride moves throughout the building suspended.

I am prone to motion sickness but can still ride a lot. I didn't ride the Simpsons but gave Jimmy Fallon a try, because I had no idea what I was getting into. My family thought it was hilarious - I spent 85% of the ride with my eyes closed and still had to take an hour after to recover from the nausea!

 

[becauseimnew]

Question on tickets. So, I am going to get the seasonal AP tickets as they are not much more than a 4 day ticket. I can book a 4 day ticket with UR's. Can I get that with points and then upgrade these to AP once we get there? And can we do that at the hotel or do we have to do that at one of the parks?

Very excited to try something new. Volcano Bay opens up right before we are there so going to include all 3 parks in the AP's. Now I have to read up on everything as I know NOTHING about Universal. Especially the rides that are Roller Coasters - I can't do those (except the small ones like Thunder Mountain and Mine Train). Any input would be great. Thanks.

Yes! You shouldn’t have any problem upgrading those tickets to APs.
VB is awesome! We went back in 2017 the day after it opened and LOVED it, DH still talks about the Not So Lazy River. We are going back this summer - DH’s request.
I would say read up on VL for Hagrids, that’s similar to thunder and 7DMT. Talk to the cast members about what time they drop new virtual tickets. We were there over thanksgiving and rode it 8 times because we kept getting passes throughout the day.

 

[Limes96]

Any chance to get any nights at all this week to rent pts for a dvc studio? We’re not members so would rent, but access to washer and dryer would be nice. Is Last minute even possible? Usually I know answer is no but not sure right now.

ETA Actually never mind, not sure I want to go that route. I’m all discombobulated thinking of possibilities.

 

[Alexle2007]

My DH encouraged me to stay in Naples for February. (Loving it BTW) I feel a little guilty every morning I log into my computer and see the frigid snowy forecast in Chicago! I'm sure your DH is a little jealous but ultimately happy you're enjoying your trip!

What type of place did you rent? That area is actually on our list of potential retirement spots.

 

[Hoosier John]

So just in case it works out, does anyone know how to work things with Disney gift cards now? I deleted all mine before they switched things over and of course I didn't bring any of them with me. I have about 2k on them. My DH can get them out and get me the info on them. How can I get access to my Disney mad money? I can stop somewhere and buy a fresh one on the way.

Disney Gift Cards: I found that AAA sells them at 5% discount (plus 3% if you have a travel card), $25-500 variable

And of course Sam's Club sells them, I think around 4% discount

Have fun!

 

[gottalovepluto]

Any chance to get any nights at all this week to rent pts for a dvc studio? We’re not members so would rent, but access to washer and dryer would be nice. Is Last minute even possible? Usually I know answer is no but not sure right now.

ETA Actually never mind, not sure I want to go that route. I’m all discombobulated thinking of possibilities.

Are any rooms still available on the Disney Visa offer? Some of the DVCs are available under the offer because I got like 40 or 45% off riviera for my trip that way. Think it’s only available through the end of Feb, you might have to call to get pricing though and you do have to pay the deposit with a Disney Visa. You don’t have to have the card at check-in and can pay the remaining balance with gift cards at the hotel.