It's ALL about the FOOD! An October 2012 PTR! - Trip Report Started.

[smile4stamps]

We ate at Brown Derby for lunch. My friend and I split the Cobb salad (which was a perfect size for this- we each got plenty!) and I had the Sterling Silver Pork-seared Tenderloin. It came with a four cheese spaetzle that was out of this world amazing.

As for heavy... I also had the Creme Brulee for dessert. I may not be an accurate judge on 'too heavy' pretty sure I rolled out of there and loved every second of it!!

Alright you have me learning towards HBD!! Will I miss the fried chicken at 50's?!?!

I figure it would be good to do something we haven't done before!

 

[smile4stamps]

So.. with the looming price increase for tickets of course I was going to purchase before that happened!!

An HOUR on hold with Disney ticketing so I could purchase my AP with gift cards and I have it! No more going back and forth for dining plan or TiW. Now that I have the AP its definitely TiW!!

I also purchased my hubby's 10day PH through undercover tourist so saved a little extra there as well.

Now... why did I hang out on hold for AN HOUR to get my AP with gift cards?

Well I discovered a way that saves a little bit of money on them in a round-about-way. Safeway has a fuel rewards program. Currently when you buy gift cards you earn 4x the points! So with a $250 giftcard my hubby can save $1 per gallon on gas! Provided he fills up 20 gallons that is $20. Than I purchase them using a CC that earns me 2% back at grocery stores. So that is $5. In total its about $25 savings so 10%!!!

Up next... getting enough gift cards to pay for my room for the first week and then our food for the week!

However, I am returning to CO on Tuesday so I won't be around the DIS much again if at all. The 14th is my b-day and I wanted to spend it with my hubby otherwise I wouldn't be heading back so soon! I will return June 15 but have to work that night so might not check in again till the 16th. I am kinda glad I heard about the price increase this week as otherwise I might have missed it! I hope everyone has a great first half of June!!

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

Now that is some SERIOUS Disney math! I can't follow it, but I am glad you saved some money.

Happy Birthday, and have a great time with Hubby!

 

[DisneyStitch626]

Yay! So excited for you that you got your AP and PH's. That's great!

And that you get to see your hubby for your birthday. So exciting!

 

[Nermel9]

Yay for getting your park tickets! And saving some money in the process, I would never be able to figure all of that out!

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

Your Disney gift card math is completely over my head, but I'm very impressed!!! Good for you!!

Happy early birthday!!! Enjoy your time in CO!!!

 

[smile4stamps]

Now that is some SERIOUS Disney math! I can't follow it, but I am glad you saved some money.

Happy Birthday, and have a great time with Hubby!

Thanks for the early Birthday wishes! Sorry my Disney math confused you!!

Yay! So excited for you that you got your AP and PH's. That's great!

And that you get to see your hubby for your birthday. So exciting!

It is exciting to know we have Park Admission. I just wish the price change had been a little later in the summer...

Yay for getting your park tickets! And saving some money in the process, I would never be able to figure all of that out!

I'm excited to have the park tickets! It's a savings in an indirect way. The savings actually comes on the gas but I will take savings in the budget any where I can!!

Your Disney gift card math is completely over my head, but I'm very impressed!!! Good for you!!

Happy early birthday!!! Enjoy your time in CO!!!

Sorry I made it so confusing! I was just excited to find a way to save money somehow!

 

[PixieMama]

Early birthday wishes and enjoy your trip!

 

[silverhaze269]

I think you can go to 'Ohana and enjoy the food without having much meat. I LOVED the coconut bread, salad, noodles...well, everything The bread putting with bananas foster was to die for though I'm lactose intolerant and shouldn't have any ice cream myself, but I have pills that I can take before eating dairy to prevent the nasty stuff from happening. So far so good!

Also, HBD is awesome! LOVE it so much! I'd go back just for the cobb salad

Happy early birthday! Mine is also June 14th! I've never met someone that I shared a birthday with before...pretty cool

 

[jenny105]

I'm hoarding gift cards to pay for our dining plan. So far we're up to $470 worth!

Happy early birthday! Enjoy!

 

[Joyciemc]

Yay for park tickets being purchased! And good for you in figuring out a way to save some moolah!

Happy to hear that you get to spend your birthday with your DH, have a great trip!

 

[smile4stamps]

I'm back in California...

Now to catch up on all my subscribed threads!

Also some changes coming to my plans... AGAIN!!

1) Received e-mail Bistro de Paris was going to be closed in October (but yet the reservation is still not deleted from my reservation list ?!?!?)

2) Hoop De Doo is open for reservations!!! Now what day do I want to see it!!!

3) Photopass + now available for preorder!! Will need to change me preorder from the regular Photopass to Photopass+

 

[DizNee Luver]

I'm back in California...

Now to catch up on all my subscribed threads!

Also some changes coming to my plans... AGAIN!!

1) Received e-mail Bistro de Paris was going to be closed in October (but yet the reservation is still not deleted from my reservation list ?!?!?)

2) Hoop De Doo is open for reservations!!! Now what day do I want to see it!!!

3) Photopass + now available for preorder!! Will need to change me preorder from the regular Photopass to Photopass+

Welcome back Paula!! Hope your time in Colorado was relaxing!!

1. Maybe you have to cancel them yourself....kinda weird!

2. Nice!!

3. Love this......will take advantage of the price break on that as well!!

 

[PixieMama]

[FONT= "Century Gothic"]Bummer about Bistro, but yay for Hoop Dee Do! I know you were really wanting to book that! [/FONT]

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

Don't you just love it when a wrench is thrown in...but at least they threw you a bone as well!! Good news about Hoop De Doo. We had been trying to decide between that and the Luau..we decided on Hoop De Doo, and then we found out it wouldn't be showing so we booked the Luau. Then they opened it up again and when DH and I thought about it we realized we were really looking forward to the Luau, so we are keeping that.

But, I am so happy for everyone that was wishing for Hoop De Doo!!

Hope Colorado was good as always....

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

I'm sorry to hear that Bistro will be closed during your trip!! How annoying! Do you think you'll book HDDR instead?

 

[smile4stamps]

Welcome back Paula!! Hope your time in Colorado was relaxing!!

1. Maybe you have to cancel them yourself....kinda weird!

2. Nice!!

3. Love this......will take advantage of the price break on that as well!!

Colorado was pretty good. Had a clash with my MIL the day before my birthday so that kind of put a sour taste in my mouth on the trip. Thankfully my hubby agreed with me so at least I don't feel completely awful.

[FONT= "Century Gothic"]Bummer about Bistro, but yay for Hoop Dee Do! I know you were really wanting to book that! [/FONT]

I'm more disappointed about the lack of French Regional Lunches than Bistro itself being closed! I can't wait for more F&W details as I feel like I will have a lot of rearranging to do of my plans!

Don't you just love it when a wrench is thrown in...but at least they threw you a bone as well!! Good news about Hoop De Doo. We had been trying to decide between that and the Luau..we decided on Hoop De Doo, and then we found out it wouldn't be showing so we booked the Luau. Then they opened it up again and when DH and I thought about it we realized we were really looking forward to the Luau, so we are keeping that.

But, I am so happy for everyone that was wishing for Hoop De Doo!!

Hope Colorado was good as always....

Colorado was good for the most part. Had a few issues with my MIL that soured things some....

I considered the Luau for our '09 trip and then discovered that they don't serve our favorite Luau dish of Kalua Pork so went with HDDR on that trip and loved it so I am VERY happy that it is back on!

I'm sorry to hear that Bistro will be closed during your trip!! How annoying! Do you think you'll book HDDR instead?

HDDR will definitely be booked. Probably not on the night I had Bistro though. I am thinking of Bluezoo for that night.

 

[DizNee Luver]

Sorry that you had a tift with the MIL........but it does help when the hubby backs ya. Hopefully the rest of your trip was good!!

 

[smile4stamps]

Sorry that you had a tift with the MIL........but it does help when the hubby backs ya. Hopefully the rest of your trip was good!!

Yeah.. I was disturbed with my MIL and the thing is all I was trying to do was help...

It ended up resulting in my hubby agreeing to something so in the end its good for the trip...

 

[smile4stamps]

The day after I arrived in Colorado I was neurotically checking Southwest airfare and came across a flight for $110 from Orlando to Denver! Yes I had not booked flights to Orlando but I couldn't pass up such a great fare so I booked hubby's return flight! 6 days later Southwest had their fall sale which meant $139 flights to/from Denver and Orlando. Not as good as the $110 but close enough. However they were not valid for flying the Friday I had planned on us going. I was scared to broach the subject of flying October 11th to hubby but it was a great deal cheaper but it meant a full day earlier and another day away from his mom. For a couple years we didn't leave her alone for more than a few hours but her health has actually greatly improved and we have left her basically (I say basically cause the second time her SIL came to stay with her but she is just as bad as my MIL so my MIL actually felt she was watching HER!) alone for a week twice but this will be the longest time yet since our honeymoon 8 years ago. So as I was saying I was scared to broach leaving a day early and as I neurotically checked the airfare to Orlando the price went up so I figured I had more time... Well the following morning the fare was back to $139... What did I do... Well I booked it before it changed again!! My thoughts... well if hubby said no than with Southwest its easy to change... However after the tiff with my MIL I brought up going a day early and he AGREED!! I booked my flights when I returned to California for as close of times as I could find. I didn't get the best prices but I can always change them and get credit if they decrease as I have plenty of other flights to book this year!

So we are now flying in LATE on Thursday October 11th and leaving around 5pm on October 26th!!

14 FULL days at WDW...

Now I am debating... Food & Wine Classic at Swan and Dolphin both Friday & Saturday? Or 3D Dessert party on Friday and Classic Saturday?

I dunno!!!