"It all started with a whopping price error ” 10/24 The Perfect Storm of Opportunity

[A&Bmama]

I am onboard! That is a fantastic deal!

Thanks for reading!

 

[chartle]

You're funny!

I though Americans thought we pronounced about as "aboot". "a boat" is a new one on me. I think we pronounce it pretty much the same but if there is a difference I would say that when I say the t gets a little softer almost like a cross between a t and a d.

I really did get to stay at the real AKL and my dining included more than just rice crispy treats. Stay tuned!

I didn't want to offend so I went to the expert.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_English#Canadian_raising

Among some speakers in the Prairies and in Nova Scotia, the retraction is strong enough to cause some tokens of raised /aʊ/ to merge with /oʊ/, so that couch and coach sound the same, and about sounds like a boat (though never like a boot, as in the American stereotype of Canadian raising).

 

[A&Bmama]

I didn't want to offend so I went to the expert.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_English#Canadian_raising

You didn't offend at all, but my daughter is looking at me like I am weird because I keep saying about and a boat out loud.

Ok maybe it does sound a little like "a boat"... maybe I just don't want to admit it...

 

[chartle]

You didn't offend at all, but my daughter is looking at me like I am weird because I keep saying about and a boat out loud.

Ok maybe it does sound a little like "a boat"... maybe I just don't want to admit it...

Hey I'm from Pittsburgh and we have our entry in Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittsburgh_English

I don't say 90% of what is listed and some I have never ever heard and I've been here for 48 out of my 48 years.

Carbon Oil used to describe kerosene?

 

[Normangirls]

Oh my goodness, I'm in. What a crazy booking!

Please please please tell us they didn't try to renege on this deal.

I would have been a basket case until we actually checked into the resort.

 

[kimbo0569]

I'm in!

 

[Mommy2LittleVols]

I'm hooked! What a great deal!! Can't wait to read more!

 

[hucifer]

BUT IT DOES. I am just about throwing up I am so excited at this point. I finish the transaction just as quickly as my shaking fingers will allow and note that I got in before midnight with 3 minutes to spare

I would have been shaking with excitement too! What an unbelievable deal!

 

[Oz-kateer]

Soooo..... what happened??????

 

[janloz]

I'm in too.

 

[dclfun]

Yes,...what happened? Can't wait for the next installment. I'd have been shaking too if I saw that fantastic deal in fact I'd have probably been shaking so hard I'd have dropped my CC multiple times and not been able to book before midnight.---Kathy

 

[Stacybaeasm]

I'm in! I can't wait to hear more.

 

[marriedtothebeast]

Just joining in and can't wait to find out how everything worked out! Thanks for sharing.

 

[A&Bmama]

My sleep is disturbed all too early on Sunday morning. I feel something tugging at my consciousness, telling me that there is something important going on and I should wake up and pay attention to it. Then it hits me like a ton of bricks, I JUST BOOKED THE TRIP TO DISNEY.

I run downstairs to check my e-mail hoping that there is nothing there from WestJet Vacations saying that due to an error we were charged the wrong price. Nothing there, so far, so good. I reread the e-mail confirmation and itinerary I received last night about 10 more times, frantically searching for any kind of an out that WestJet could use and I just can’t see one. In fact, I keep looking at the part that list the price and states that it is “paid in full” and just can’t see that they would have a leg to stand on if they tried to charge me more or rescind the booking.

I try to tell myself not to get excited, it’s the weekend. Maybe I am going to get the dreaded call on Monday. Who am I kidding? I am excited. How excited am I? Well I think I now know how people who win a trip feel because I feel like I won this.

DH wakes up and says” was I dreaming last night or did you wake my up and tell me you booked a trip to Disney.” I tell him that it was no dream and then I proceed to tell him about the price error and explain that for the same money we were going to spend for 2 rooms at pop with base tickets we are now getting 2 rooms at AKL with a dining plan and park hopper tickets. I have to explain to him about the difference between value, moderate and deluxe resorts to impress upon him just how big of a deal this is. Then we go look at pictures online. First of Pop then of AKL. He gets it now and is just as excited as I am!

I forgot to mention that we picked the dates because DS’s 16th Bday is on March 1st. Since these dates were after President’s week and before March break the crowds should be lighter and airfares would be cheaper. It also had the added benefit that since March break was soon after we got back that the kids could bring home all of the work that they missed while away and catch up during the break.

We tell the kids and they are excited that we are finally going. I ask DS if he has any memory of that conversation when he was about years old when he was promised a trip to Disney. Does he remember? Nope, not even a little. I have been carrying around the weight of an unfulfilled promise for over 10 years and he doesn’t remember. But really, what did I expect? He was only four.

After reflecting on this I understand that maybe this wasn’t as much about the promise that was made to him that sunny Saturday morning so many years ago. Maybe it was more about the promise I had made to myself as a child. The vow that I would never promise my children something I couldn’t give them. I decided that it probably was but either way I felt the weight of it lifted from my shoulders.

Later in the afternoon we were at DD skating lessons chatting with her BFF’s parents and telling them about our trip. During our trip to Canada’s Wonderland I know DD felt a little lonely for a friend to share the experience with. I was kind of hoping that they would decide to come along with us but thought that might be unlikely since they had gone to Disney in 2006 and 2008. They were very interested in the deal and were going to check to see if it was still coming up at that price. It was! They booked it. So now we had company!

So now the crew grew to include (names changed):
BFF (10 years old)
BFF’s Mom, will be referred to as SUE
BFF’s Dad, will be referred to as BOB

Sunday evening our Sue called me and asked if it would be OK if they told their usual Disney travel companions (another friend of the girls and her grandparents) about our plans. Sue was feeling a little uncomfortable because these people had asked them a few months ago if they wanted to go again this year and they had said no. Since they had changed their minds she thought she should let them know. She didn’t think they would want to come along since they had gone ahead and booked a trip to Jamaica. I said that would be fine but was getting a little uncomfortable that DS’s Bday trip was turning into a trip that was more about his sister and her friends than him.

Sue called the grandparents who decided to go and bring their adult son and granddaughter. By the time they tried to book on Monday WestJet had discovered the error and fixed it, so only one room for them.

So now the crew grew to include (names changed)
Friend (9 years old)
Friend’s Grandmother will be referred to as Dorothy
Friend’s Grandfather will be referred to as Gus
Friend’s Uncle will be referred to as Jason

So now I know that WestJet realized their error and still no one has contacted us. We are in the clear!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Up next: With a group this big you need a plan.

 

[Normangirls]

There just aren't enough smilies to show how COOL that is!

But in the end: you + their mistake =

 

[Disneymoon09]

soo cool they didnt realize their mistake!

Normangirls: where in NW ohio are you?

 

[Normangirls]

Hey, Disneymoon09, we live outside of Wauseon (west of Toledo).

And where are you?

 

[A&Bmama]

Before I get to the meat of this installment I wanted to share this with you.

Ever since I found the deal I have felt like the lady in the “Start the Car” IKEA commercial? I’m not sure if it ran in the US but you can view it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6C7oqXewyCE&feature=related

I love that commercial!!!

I haven’t investigated how to post picture yet and I also haven’t asked DH what his thoughts are on posting pics of our family. So until I do please picture me as the Start the Car lady.

With a group this big you need a plan:

While I am glad to have company on our trip there is something that is bothering me. I don’t want the trip to become bogged down with decision making. Can’t you just picture a group of 11 people standing by Cinderella’s castle with map in hand trying to reach a group consensus about what to do next?

Some people are good in these situations. I am not one of them.

I love a good compromise, don’t misunderstand me. But give me the choice of staying with a group to do something that I’m not that keen on or breaking off from the group to do what I really want to do solo and I am going solo every time.

This is my families long anticipated trip and I don’t want to compromise on my itinerary. I also don’t want to be a dictator.

I tell Sue that the rest of the group shouldn’t feel the need to stay with us to do something if they don’t want to. She is quick to assure me that she and Dorothy have already discussed this and they see this as our trip that they are accompanying us on. We call the shots all the way.

I hope so because doing my Disney homework has become an obsession. I have discovered the DIS. I read the Unofficial Guide cover to cover. I have been playing with touring plans. I have perused crowd calendars. I know things… Knowledge is power! I am powerful… I will rule the (Disney) world!!!!

Kidding, kidding. I am obsessed but not to that magnitude. Well Ok, it is true. I did do all of that research and I formed some strong opinions on what I wanted to do, where I wanted to eat etc. Since I don’t know If I will ever go back again I am not very receptive to the idea of forgoing something on our must do list just to keep the group together.


My family intends to be Disney Commandos!

I hope the rest can keep up.

I know it is An_l retentive, but I made a schedule for each day. I’m sure my fellow Dis boarders would expect nothing less. It is just the rest of the world that thinks we are cracked. I suspect my traveling companions were a little concerned for my sanity. They were more of the get up whenever, pick a park to go to and then do whatever strikes you once you get there kind of tourers.

So I happily planned our days. I can’t wait to get to MK and see the castle and ride Splash mountain. Animal Kingdom sounds amazing I am so looking forward to the Safari. Epcot holds my number one priority. If I do nothing else I will ride Soarin. Hollywood Studios, meh. For some reason I don’t want to go to Hollywood Studios. Every time I try to plan our day at HS I just get irritable and think I wish I could skip the whole park. Finally I come with single day plan for HS, and resolve to go whether I enjoy it or not.

The days turn to weeks. The weeks, turn into months. Disney Eve arrives.


UP NEXT: Off we go!!

 

[MrsSpratt]

I could feel the weight coming off of your shoulders...congratulations!

Can't wait for more! (And Boy Howdy, WHAT A DEAL!)

Jaime

 

[disneylovin24]

Can't wait to read more!!!!