I love credit cards so much!

[CyndiLouWho]

Kids are the best thing ever but you cannot help but be thrilled when you can ditch them for a night

My DS9 will not spend a night anywhere without us. Not to grandma’s or cousin’s. DH has had a few business trips but I have never been away for a night.

Southwest flights are out! Not what I was hoping for...some already sold out. May have to venture to the Blue side and see what I can find...or check the vast Frontier.

Ugh. Got up at the buttcrack of dawn to book and flights were more points than I wanted and at least one flight sold out before I could book it. I was using my iPad with DH’s RR account but couldn’t get app to load new dates with my RR account. I ended up having to transfer 50k UR points to book. Was never able to use the 15k points in my RR account because it wouldn’t load the dates. Now I need more URs (isn’t that always the case?)

 

[tink1970]

I echo someone else's apologies for multi quote but yesterday was hectic (about 8 hours in total rescuing a stray-of course it was hot as the dickens [nod to @wendow]).

Lol lately I have been questioning if kids are the best choice. I want them

I think if you want them, you'll make things work Kids can be actually kind of fun to have when visiting WDW

Having said that, I don't think everyone has to have children to have a fulfilled life

Totally agree! I have friends with and without and everyone's choice is correct...for them.

It’ll all work out in the end!

Yep!

Last night at bar trivia we had a new person join our team who turned out to be a churner. She was asking my strategy and comparing it to hers (which was category spend + limited MSRs, whereas I'm all MSR, all the time). Quite a lively conversation after a couple drinks! I highly recommend that. Oh, also we answered trivia questions.

That sounds like close to the best night ever (if only college football was playing in the background...that would make it perfect!).

we've decided that children are just not for us. We're now 34 and 31. Surprisingly, that seems to be a sentiment that's becoming much more common.

That's fine. I never wanted children, never planned for children and love my DD completely. That said, if I could go back in time and have a BTL (tubes tied--as I'd begged my gyns during school and residency and after I had my one child)...I would strongly consider it. It's not for everyone and I've done an okay job, I think, but if you don't want to, then don't. It's pretty much the worst job to do half donkeyed.

My favorite:

Chase: When it comes to pissing off customers, we’re the best!
Amex: Hold my beer…

Love it!

 

[miztressuz]

Southwest flights are out! Not what I was hoping for...some already sold out. May have to venture to the Blue side and see what I can find...or check the vast Frontier.

No such luck

I'll check back later on.

Keep checking back, I often don't see WGA fares on first day but they've always shown up eventually. Lots of refresh buttons getting a work out today.

 

[tink1970]

I know there are Disney dedicated threads but lots of Disney pros on this one also. DS11 and I are suddenly going 9/8-10. We’ve been several times and have always stayed deluxe, typically WL and once at Boardwalk. Options for this trip: POR- $500, AKL- $615 or YC- $750. Currently have 2- 1 day pH passes. Our flight gets in at 8:40 am from BWI. So Sat could be a swim day only, swim day + Halloween party, park day and purchase a 2 day PH. We definitely want to do AK/Pandora at night. I have URs to cover room and tickets or I could discounted GCs. Thoughts?

Brief thoughts on resorts:

Do you want to save $$ or stick with a deluxe (confession...deluxe princess here)?

If you stay with Deluxe would your DS prefer the theming of AKL or the pool/boardwalk area of YC more?

What view is AKL? Most say you don't need a savannah view (and technically they are correct) but if you're staying there one of the amazing things (to me) is to watch the animals in the am as I'm waking up and enjoying my morning diet cokeS (yes @Lain, no grown up beverages here) and at night watch the animals meander back from their barns.

I love love love the YC but some say it's "stuffy" for kids (maybe?). OTOH, others love YC/BC for the pool (sand in my pool? Not for me but kids are funny like that) and proximity.

POR is a fun resort, too, but it's been ages since I've been and the forced busing/lyft/uber to everywhere might get tiring/time sucking on such a short trip. I know technically the same applies to AKL but the bus ride to AK is not onerous.

Honestly, I think it sounds like a wonderful trip and there are no bad options.

 

[Sarah_B]

Our journey so far:
Me (2/24) CIP on 7/20
P2 (0/24) until today: successful csr/csp double dip this morning

Phew. I felt like a kid taking a test I hadn’t studied for then boom. A+

 

[Alexle2007]

Lol lately I have been questioning if kids are the best choice. I want them but then I went to Steakhouse 55 and Blue Bayou and spent $220 and $185 for just SO and I. How on earth could we afford those meals if we had more people??? I’ll get my final food costs when we check out Friday but I think we are approaching over $1k spent on food this trip. Are kids really worth giving up nice Disneyland meals? Lol maybe our income will also increase so I won’t have to make any sacrifices. Lol

DH and I waited until we were well into our careers and have purchased our dream home before we had DS11. We were always in the one or none camp and I had given myself until my 35th birthday. And magically it was month that I got pregnant. I always thought I would be fine without any but I can’t imagine not having DS now. The world revolves him. I don’t feel like we have sacrificed anything to have him but we had everything in place before him which made it a lot easier.

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

I don't think WGA fares will appear for dd's return to school on spring break---IU and Purdue have the same spring break week so soooooooooo many kids flying out/in of IND I should have checked Purdue's schedule yesterday to be better prepared

Thanksgiving flights were the same way----a cheap WGA flight IND-BWI and then no WGA flights BWI-IND. At least I'll be better prepared for next year.

 

[DisneyMandC]

My husband now has all 3 Ink cards. But only one personal the Reserve. As long as your credit levels aren’t crazy you should be ok.

Thanks! Yeah, by the time I'll go for the CIU (if I do) I will have CFU and CF and I'll lower my credit limits on those. I'm at $8000 for Marriott Biz and $9000 for CIP, and I could lower my CFU and CF to $5000 each and be fine.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Our journey so far:
Me (2/24) CIP on 7/20
P2 (0/24) until today: successful csr/csp double dip this morning

Phew. I felt like a kid taking a test I hadn’t studied for then boom. A+

Congrats

 

[Alexle2007]

Brief thoughts on resorts:

Do you want to save $$ or stick with a deluxe (confession...deluxe princess here)?

If you stay with Deluxe would your DS prefer the theming of AKL or the pool/boardwalk area of YC more?

What view is AKL? Most say you don't need a savannah view (and technically they are correct) but if you're staying there one of the amazing things (to me) is to watch the animals in the am as I'm waking up and enjoying my morning diet cokeS (yes @Lain, no grown up beverages here) and at night watch the animals meander back from their barns.

I love love love the YC but some say it's "stuffy" for kids (maybe?). OTOH, others love YC/BC for the pool (sand in my pool? Not for me but kids are funny like that) and proximity.

POR is a fun resort, too, but it's been ages since I've been and the forced busing/lyft/uber to everywhere might get tiring/time sucking on such a short trip. I know technically the same applies to AKL but the bus ride to AK is not onerous.

Honestly, I think it sounds like a wonderful trip and there are no bad options.

AKL is just a std view. Plus I am trying to make sure there are enough food options since DS is super picky. I know I’ve spoiled with the deluxe resorts. I am trying to get out of DS what he would like to do while we are there but he isn’t helping. Everything was planned for SeaWorld so now I am going crazy with this last minute planning. Plus we are on vacation and my Disney tickets are at home so I can’t even start making FastPass selections.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

I don't think WGA fares will appear for dd's return to school on spring break---IU and Purdue have the same spring break week so soooooooooo many kids flying out/in of IND I should have checked Purdue's schedule yesterday to be better prepared

Thanksgiving flights were the same way----a cheap WGA flight IND-BWI and then no WGA flights BWI-IND. At least I'll be better prepared for next year.

Ugh..I always hated booking flights for my son traveling home for thanksgiving...they were always sooo high since SW knows those will sell. He now lives in Orlando so for thanksgiving back to LI they weren’t bad since everyone is doing the reverse trip

 

[DisneyMandC]

Loving all the kid comments. Nice to see people who are supportive here since I've gotten some really nasty comments from people in the past as DH and I have been together for 11 and a half years and are child-free by choice.

Don't worry though, I probably spend the same amount on my horse every month as others spend on their kids... he's basically getting a private school education and eats better than I do

 

[Lain]

Yes! Priority Pass Adds Two Restaurants At SFO - OMAAT

TL;DR: San Francisco Giants Clubhouse and Yankee Pier, both at SFO.

Those who have read my posts know how useless PP is at SFO. The only PP lounge prior to this was the Air France/KLM Lounge all the way in the International Terminal, and there's usually a sign out turning PP-holders away because they're at capacity or reserving space for their flyers.

Both the SF Giants Clubhouse and Yankee Pier are in Terminal 3, which services United domestic flights. United passengers carrying premium cards now have it really good with 2 PP restaurants and the Amex Centurion Lounge in Terminal 3. I'm flying out on United tonight and had planned to visit the Centurion Lounge, but now I'm tempted to try one of these restaurants. We'll be flying on United down to Disneyland over Thanksgiving week, so there's another opportunity.

 

[striker1064]

I know there are Disney dedicated threads but lots of Disney pros on this one also. DS11 and I are suddenly going 9/8-10. We’ve been several times and have always stayed deluxe, typically WL and once at Boardwalk. Options for this trip: POR- $500, AKL- $615 or YC- $750. Currently have 2- 1 day pH passes. Our flight gets in at 8:40 am from BWI. So Sat could be a swim day only, swim day + Halloween party, park day and purchase a 2 day PH. We definitely want to do AK/Pandora at night. I have URs to cover room and tickets or I could discounted GCs. Thoughts?

Having stayed at both POR and AKL, I'd absolutely pay an extra $115 for AKL. Haven't stayed at YC so can't give an opinion on that one. Especially with wanting to do AK at night, it will be nice having such a short ride back to your bed when you're finished. As the bus driver once told us, AKL to AK is a 6-minute u-turn if the light is green, or 8 minutes if it's red.

 

[striker1064]

Loving all the kid comments. Nice to see people who are supportive here since I've gotten some really nasty comments from people in the past as DH and I have been together for 11 and a half years and are child-free by choice.

Don't worry though, I probably spend the same amount on my horse every month as others spend on their kids... he's basically getting a private school education and eats better than I do

Yep, our cats are our kids! Specialty food... fancy toys... and they play with the box. That's cats.

 

[miztressuz]

Our journey so far:
Me (2/24) CIP on 7/20
P2 (0/24) until today: successful csr/csp double dip this morning

Phew. I felt like a kid taking a test I hadn’t studied for then boom. A+

Congratulations! Here's the after school party to celebrate

 

[Alexle2007]

Having stayed at both POR and AKL, I'd absolutely pay an extra $115 for AKL. Haven't stayed at YC so can't give an opinion on that one. Especially with wanting to do AK at night, it will be nice having such a short ride back to your bed when you're finished. As the bus driver once told us, AKL to AK is a 6-minute u-turn if the light is green, or 8 minutes if it's red.

Thanks. DS and I looked at the AKL and have decided to give it a try. Trying to decide if I just got ahead and book it on the CSR since we are on vacation and I am not sure I could convince DH that I need to make a run to Staples or Lowe’s to use the AmEx offer.

 

[FloridaNative8]

@chattadisser I was trying to find some photos to illustrate... obviously it depends on the airports you'd be going to too.
@afan, I did the free trial and cancelled but it said I can still use it to get into my stadium. Maybe it would for yours?


Here is one of the Denver security lines.

Everyone goes through this line to the ID checks. You can see the agents in blue at the top left (there are podiums all the way down the left side of this photo just off camera). If you have precheck or clear, you walk up a lane that runs right along the bottom of this photo to a podium. If you have precheck you go into your dedicated scanner line, if you are CLEAR you have your choice of whatever ones are open (this is standard procedure for everyone, most go straight to the line behind whatever podium they used).



Since we're all familiar with MCO....

The CLEAR scanners are near that escalator/staircase to the left of the TSA lines. So you skip those part of the lines, but it's still a very long line to the scanners so it's not as useful when busy (is MCO ever not busy?)



Although CLEAR and Precheck can be used together in some airports. Last time we flew out of Den the precheck lines were longer than the regular lines

The Denver Airport security lines were my main reason for getting TSA Pre-Check! Our corporate office is in Denver, and we go every February for our Sales Kick Off. My boss didn't have it last year, and we timed how much longer it took for him to get through security (vs. me w/Pre-Check) - it was about 40 minutes! Guess who didn't delay getting theirs done as soon as we got back to Tampa?!

 

[DaveL]

Booked my SW flights this morning while dropping DD off at before school care. So many flights were sold out or "1 Seat left" to Chicago and back. Anyway 17k round trip for two (w/companion pass) is pretty good but not what it used to be. I remember making this short route all the time for $60 RT now its $300.

 

[DisneyMandC]

Yep, our cats are our kids! Specialty food... fancy toys... and they play with the box. That's cats.

Speaking of cats... someone is under the impression that she is also going to Disney in November.