I love credit cards so much!

[palhockeymomof2]

There were so many kids screaming to go home or back to the hotel room.

Poor little ones....
When mine were little..they were up early so we rope dropped....they definitely needed naps...so we always went back to our room...I stayed while they napped and DH hung out by the pool....then we’d go back to the parks..until someone was tired ....then back to the room..we were able to stay onsite so much easier to do this.
..went last year and took good friends.our kids..their kids grandkids etc...stayed at BWV 20 of us...lol...and did the same thing....to me when we have little ones with us Disney is for them we go at their pace...we are fortunate to have DVC and know we will be back and each vacation is different depending on who is with us

 

[mmmears]

Well our wdw trip is officially over. We went three times this year and I’m sad to say Dh and I both agreed we might need a long break from wdw. Very crowded and people were extremely rude. We were stressed for most of the trip instead of being relaxed. We both said today we can’t wait to actually get home and relax. We are looking into Phoenix as our next trip before Japan.

So sorry to hear that it was stressful but I get it. I’m glad you have other places to travel to soon.

 

[Haley R]

Poor little ones....
When mine were little..they were up early so we rope dropped....they definitely needed naps...so we always went back to our room...I stayed while they napped and DH hung out by the pool....then we’d go back to the parks..until someone was tired ....then back to the room..we were able to stay onsite so much easier to do this.
..went last year and took good friends.our kids..their kids grandkids etc...stayed at BWV 20 of us...lol...and did the same thing....to me when we have little ones with us Disney is for them we go at their pace...we are fortunate to have DVC and know we will be back and each vacation is different depending on who is with us

I wish more people would let their kids take charge of the vacation. I think some of them want their kids to do certain things that maybe the kids don’t want to do at all. Some kids are terrified of meeting characters but I saw parents forcing them anyway because they wanted a picture.

Right now we are thinking no to dvc but maybe sometime down the road.

 

[mamathompson]

Oh my goodness, the Dis being down earlier today really threw me off. Finally able to sit down and process all of this great information!

I just wanted to say congratulations on booking your first flights with points!

As to whether UR or MR will get you more internationally, all depends on what airline you are flying, what class cabin and timing. We have flown a fair amount internationally and have used both URs and MRs to do so depending on the airline we need to transfer the points to in order to book an award flight. We’ve also used both MR and UR points to book an international flight and pay with points.

If you are paying with points and not transferring the points to an airline I would stick with UR points. With a CSR your points are worth 1.5 cpp on the front end. With an Amex, you’d need a business platinum card for the MR to be worth 1.54 but that winds up on the back end after about 30 days.

If you are going to book award flights and MR transfers to the airline then I’d go that route. Amex will run periodic point transfer bonuses and Chase never does. Recently we took advantage of a 30% MR transfer bonus to Virgin Atlantic and will use those to book award flights.

Hope that helps.

So helpful! We were planning to transfer and fly SW this time (and would have gotten more out of our points) but the times were terrible so we just booked through Alaska.

Good job! That's such a satisfying feeling!

My family of 3 went to Italy this June on AA miles and on mostly AA metal. I used SW RRs to get to New York where we stayed a few days and caught a Hamilton show (paid for with bank bonus money), then direct JFK-FCO on AA (30K SAAver fare, $5.60 taxes&fees pp). Came back in business class VCE-LHR-JFK-DEN (57.5 SAAver fare, $82 taxes&fees pp). Neither MRs or URs transfer directly to AA though, both me and DH opened up two AA cards each in 2017 to accrue the miles needed (and maybe did some SPG points to miles transfer I can't remember; now it's Marriott points to miles), and did some shopping through the AA portal for bonus miles. It's definitely more challenging to plan award travel for families, and more so the larger the family is, since award seats are very finite in supply. I had the miles in our AA accounts by Sept (started collecting them in March) and pounced on the direct saver JFK-FCO flight when I saw it in Sept. for travel 9 months later in June. So it's definitely not too early to be thinking about how to get your points in place now for a 2020 Italy trip, which you're doing.

As for trying to get more MRs vs URs, you should find out what airline would serve you the best in getting to Italy, and then see if it is a transfer partner with AMEX MRs or Chase URs. If it is not, then you'd be using MRs or URs as cash equivalents so yes, high signup bonus is important, and also the category bonus where you can earn the most points per $ spent. If it turns out AA works the best for you, then the AA cc are the quickest & cheapest way to get lots of points. Both Citi and Barclay have AA cards.

I was already thinking about a SW flight to the East Coast and then flying out from there. I'm glad to see it worked for you. On Saver fares is there usually a limit to how many you can book? I am a little concerned I won't be able to get enough rewards flights for my family even if I have the points for them. We are looking at May 2020 so that would give me a year or less to accumulate the points.

Congratulations. It's such a good feeling!

We've flown to Italy in first class on AA using AA miles.

We've flown to Copenhagen and London in business using MRs on Air France and British Airways. There was a "sale" on BA Avios which really helped us since we needed 3 seats and didn't have enough MRs if the transfer had been 1:1.

I'm new to URs and I'm using them mostly for hotels at this point, since we have the MRs and already know how to use them for air. So far it's taking fewer URs if we transfer the points to out Marriott or Hyatt accounts and book that way compared to using them at 1.5 cents to book through the portal. But I think this is something that you have to look at on a case by case basis.

It is interesting to me that you both said AA. Which wasn't even on my radar! From looking at sample flights it appears both UR and MR could transfer to different airlines that could get me there. I feel like MR might have more availability. If DH is 3/24 and I am 1/24 would it make more sense to continue with Chase cards and then move on to AMEX or AA? Or would moving on now make more sense since we have a specific goal in mind? We are primarily concerned with the airfare. Most likely we will stay AirBnB when in Italy. Unless we found some other amazing deals for hotels.

 

[mmmears]

There were so many kids screaming to go home or back to the hotel room.

That’s just so sad. I don’t think people realize that everyone needs some down time. I’ve seen parents hitting their kids in the parks and it kind of ruins the magic. We always went back to our hotel for a swim and a nap when DD was little. And now that we are older we still do.

 

[Haley R]

That’s just so sad. I don’t think people realize that everyone needs some down time. I’ve seen parents hitting their kids in the parks and it kind of ruins the magic. We always went back to our hotel for a swim and a nap when DD was little. And now that we are older we still do.

It really is sad. It broke my heart to see parents pushing their kids around and screaming at them. That’s how their child will remember the trip and they probably won’t want to go back to Disney because of it. On the other side, we saw parents that thought everything their child did was funny when it was something that clearly bothered everyone else.

 

[speedyfishy]

That’s just so sad. I don’t think people realize that everyone needs some down time. I’ve seen parents hitting their kids in the parks and it kind of ruins the magic. We always went back to our hotel for a swim and a nap when DD was little. And now that we are older we still do.

I saw a parent hit his kid for the first time this past September. He was hitting the kid hard wasn’t like a smack on the butt. The kid was screaming. I imagine from being in pain. I couldn’t believe it. It really disturbed SO and I.

 

[Lain]

There were so many kids screaming to go home or back to the hotel room.

Meanwhile the parents were either yelling or thinking, "Do you know how much it cost to bring you to Disney?!"

 

[Haley R]

I saw a parent hit his kid for the first time this past September. He was hitting the kid hard wasn’t like a smack on the butt. The kid was screaming. I imagine from being in pain. I couldn’t believe it. It really disturbed SO and I.

Omg that’s horrible.There was a kid when we stayed at pop that was on the bus with us on two different mornings and he was not happy at all. I think he was 2 or 3 and he screamed the entire way and pulled his mom’s hair and was hitting the people sitting next to them.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Meanwhile the parents were either yelling or thinking, "Do you know how much it cost to bring you to Disney?!"

That’s kind of the issue. I mean, I don’t hit my kid, ever, but our first trip to WDW was with my sister, BIL, their 3 kids, DH, DS, my mom and myself. I planned the whole thing, made all the ADRs and FPs etc. At least one kid was whining or complaining at any given time. It started at the bus stop every morning and went on all day, no matter what we were doing. In the meantime I’m thinking, omg this cost so much, we need to see everything, this will be our only trip here. Honestly I tried to go with the flow and let the kids go to the pool while I cringed at how much it cost and how they could go to a pool at home every day. It ended with me not doing one thing I actually wanted, which led to me wanting to go back the next year (just DH, DS and me) so I could see things I missed. That was a more relaxed trip, but each one after that gets more laid back because there’s not all the pressure to see everything. Don’t get me wrong, we still rope drop, and are in the parks for hours, but there’s less urgency and feeling that we paid so much and need to do it all.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Omg that’s horrible.There was a kid when we stayed at pop that was on the bus with us on two different mornings and he was not happy at all. I think he was 2 or 3 and he screamed the entire way and pulled his mom’s hair and was hitting the people sitting next to them.

At that age some kids are like that 24/7. There is not a better mood. There’s a reason people call it “terrible twos”
FWIW if my kid was like that I probably wouldn’t plan a Disney trip, but if that’s your kid’s personality, you get used to dealing with it.

 

[Haley R]

Meanwhile the parents were either yelling or thinking, "Do you know how much it cost to bring you to Disney?!"

Dh and I have already discussed that when we have kids they will be mostly in charge of what we do. We haven’t decided what age we will start taking them but if they point out something that looks fun, that’s where we will go. Even if it means going to a playground for an hour.

 

[tink1970]

I’m looking at AMEX everyday - with my referral i think we’d get 20KMR bonus. My other thought is Discover It. No sign up incentive but def more cashback if used right. Thoughts?

I have both so don't know if I'm of any help.

Discover released their 5% categories for the year early in the year so that was helpful--I knew I'd be able to max out all 4 quarters. It's nice for planning knowing the quarterly categories and for the first year they double the cash back so that's very nice! My anniversary is in April so hopeful I'll get 5 quarter max out doubled (we'll see!). It's good for straight cash back and generous matching so if you can max it out then I'd probably vote for this.

Of course, you could get both

 

[Haley R]

At that age some kids are like that 24/7. There is not a better mood. There’s a reason people call it “terrible twos”
FWIW if my kid was like that I probably wouldn’t plan a Disney trip, but if that’s your kid’s personality, you get used to dealing with it.

She kept saying, “What is WRONG with you? You are never like this!” She said this both mornings though. Either she was embarrassed and made that up or he had something going on that was bothering him.

 

[Judique]

That’s awesome news! I’m so happy to be wrong. Is the Optima referral bonus for $100 or 15k MR (or something else)?

Yes, definitely apply for the Amex Gold 50k MR offer via your referral link. The higher 50k MR/$2k MSR/3 months/up to $100 statement credit from 20% back on restaurant purchases is available via incognito or referral (and likely will continue to be until 1/9/19), but since you can benefit from your own referral, there’s no reason to fiddle with incognito.

It's actually at 50K in my offers as well, but I wouldn't get a $100 referral if I clicked it in my 'offers'! Oh, and it is a $100....I'll take it!

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Dh and I have already discussed that when we have kids they will be mostly in charge of what we do. We haven’t decided what age we will start taking them but if they point out something that looks fun, that’s where we will go. Even if it means going to a playground for an hour.

My sister took her kids to Greece last summer (BIL is Greek). She came back saying she’s never taking her kids on vacation again, ever. The kids would pick an activity, then complain the whole time about it. And complain about the food. And not having wi-fi. And having to walk. The kids wanted to go swimming at the beach, so they drove an hour to the beach to find out both girls forgot their swimsuits. (They are 9 & 12, not little).

 

[CyndiLouWho]

She kept saying, “What is WRONG with you? You are never like this!” She said this both mornings though. Either she was embarrassed and made that up or he had something going on that was bothering him.

 

[Haley R]

My sister took her kids to Greece last summer (BIL is Greek). She came back saying she’s never taking her kids on vacation again, ever. The kids would pick an activity, then complain the whole time about it. And complain about the food. And not having wi-fi. And having to walk. The kids wanted to go swimming at the beach, so they drove an hour to the beach to find out both girls forgot their swimsuits. (They are 9 & 12, not little).

Oh dear god lol.

 

[Haley R]

I wanted to say, “Ma’am, maybe he doesn’t want to be here?” Or “maybe something isn’t wrong with him.”

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Dh and I have already discussed that when we have kids they will be mostly in charge of what we do. We haven’t decided what age we will start taking them but if they point out something that looks fun, that’s where we will go. Even if it means going to a playground for an hour.

When my son was 2 and I was pregnant with my daughter..we went to Disney with my in-laws.....dating myself ...but it was in 1990 when Universal opened..my DH and his mom, dad and brother went there one day...so it was just my son and I at MK...I let him pick the rides..we went on it’s a small world...a lot and...watched..Minnies surprise birthday party show for Mickey many times..super relaxing day I still remember