January 2009. . . Calling all Snowbirds ~ Part I !!!

[petuniamilz]

MissMagnolia......Dh went to UW-LaCrosse.

 

[debbieandroo]

I would consider switching if the standard DDP goes up much. We really want to do the DDP one more time though before DS turns 10 (and will be charged as an adult). We only actually have one character meal scheduled this time. Weird, we usually have like 4! Guess we've done them all!

So, I guess I am just waiting on the price to make my final decision. We were going to ditch the DDP all together after this past May trip. We just felt too tied to all the ADR's. Felt like we were always rushed to get everywhere because of all the ADR's. Plus it was SO HOT that we weren't always even hungry when it was time to eat again! But then we decided to do it one more time since it won't be so hot in January and since DS9 is still considered a child!

Shelly, your comment cinched it for me -- I am going for the cheaper dining plan and encouraging my folks to do the same. We can always treat ourselves to a celebratory table-service oop.

Thank you for your help!

As to the airline tickets, I have no idea. It's hard to beat the price but you might be in for problems - Airtran doesn't have the best reputation - does any airline right now? I'd hate for you to start your trip with a lot of delays.

I am a little miffed that I live in Memphis, a Northwest hub, but people who are hundreds of miles farther away are getting better airline deals! Go figure....

 

[debbieandroo]

Good Morning Everyone! *yup, still morning here...*

I have some dining changes:

Jan 28 CRT Breakfast now booked for 10:10 / Hoop Dee Doo Review (Oct 15?)


And more changes... or decisions to make.
The other family that is going at the same time with us had discussed moving to CBR if they were able to get a discount and lower the price to make it more affordable to them. Since we are going in Jan, we figured that it there was a pretty good chance that it would happen. Last night, I got an IM from her (we do it frequently, so it is no biggie to hear this way) and she and her DH have decided that no matter if a discount comes up, they will be staying at Pop. They have never been to WDW and so I understand that no matter where they stay, it will be new.

My dilemma: Do I stay at Pop with them? Do I move to CBR and enjoy the slide in Jan, could be cold. The extra room would be nice. We would have 2 rooms either way. Although to get 2 rooms at CBR, I may show my DH the price & then move to Deluxe! Oh, the choices! I know that it would be easier if we all stayed at the same resort. The kids & DHs could come & go a lot easier if we were all at the same place. The boys (all the kids are boys) would love being able to swim together. If we are in different resorts, we ALL know that there is NO POOL HOPPING. The Dis-Police will come & get us. j/k.

I need some rational advice. Stay at Pop with the group, or move CBR? Please note that I am the wife of the Icee Fanatic. You may recall in my prior posts that my DH did not want to move to CBR initally due to the LACK of Icee machines! My family is NO help. I KNOW that you all understand that. Remember "the look"?

Now, on to other news. I think that we may spend the first few nights at *gasp* Hard Rock Hotel. We are doing Universal for the first 2 days and think that since we will be there over MLK Weekend, it really may benefit us to have Front of the Line Access.

Lastly, Heimlichfam: I tried to use your link, but it says that the page cannot be found. I would love to do your survey, as I have had a child in a tutoring program. PM me with the full link if you would like.

Thanks to everyone who is willing to talk me down. Planning is hard (like I have to tell you all).

My 2 cents, which is worth much less!

I'd go ahead and stay at the POP. Like you said, the nice pool of the other resort might not get used much because of the cooler weather. You could keep better track of your kids. You and your friend would enjoy the time spent together which could get eaten up by traveling between the two sites.

But, now, don't forget - if you do decide to stay at the POP, make sure your husband knows it is only because of his love for icees. So that, when you go back to the world, [and you could because of the all the money you've saved at the POP], you have a heftier bargaining chip towards staying at a Deluxe!

 

[distherapy]

Shelly, your comment cinched it for me -- I am going for the cheaper dining plan and encouraging my folks to do the same. We can always treat ourselves to a celebratory table-service oop.

Thank you for your help!

As to the airline tickets, I have no idea. It's hard to beat the price but you might be in for problems - Airtran doesn't have the best reputation - does any airline right now? I'd hate for you to start your trip with a lot of delays.

I am a little miffed that I live in Memphis, a Northwest hub, but people who are hundreds of miles farther away are getting better airline deals! Go figure....

I hear ya! Memphis airfare is completely depressing. If only we could FedEx ourselves...

 

[MissMagnolia]

petuniamilz: I teach at UW-LaCrosse.

 

[MY3GUYSINNE]

I just joined this site after reading so much and now I am getting even more excited. We are going to WDW Jan 2-9 2009 with my best friends family and I can not wait to get to start planning. This will be our first trip to WDW and Florida but our friends have been there several times. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

 

[trixiequilts]

But, now, don't forget - if you do decide to stay at the POP, make sure your husband knows it is only because of his love for icees.

 

[miabellarose]

85 bucks, Shelly, that's a good buy!!

You do not want to know how much I paid to fly from Iowa.

To answer your question, no I've never flown on 2 airlines in the same trip.

In what part of Iowa do you live? I grew up in Story City, 10 miles north of Ames, and went to University of Iowa. I moved to Savannah 3 years ago, and I miss Iowa. I miss the snow, the friendly and polite people, and cheese balls.

 

[KatiebugsMom]

Well I am now in the throws of deciding whether to drive or fly......

In a lot of ways I wish we had drove down last year......Let me tell you my saga of Airtran Jan 2008.

In looking over prices for last year, I found a rate I could live with by flying out on Saturday Jan 19th. However my DVC time did not start until the 20th at AKV. Found a room at Pop for $100 bucks and was loving the idea of one more day at Disney......well that almost and really never did happen.....Our flight out Pittsburgh was booked first as a non stop at 6PM on the 19th. Airtran cancelled that flight and wanted me to fly out at 1PM thru Atlanta not arriving into Orlando until almost 8PM. Yeah 3 hour layover with a 2 year old. Righhhhttttt! I advised not acceptable and they rebooked me on the 6AM flight thru Atlanta arriving about 11AM.....OK I can do that and be in the parks by lunch. Great!! So still packing at 1AM the morning we leave, phone rings.....This is Airtran, due to weather conditions in Atlanta (apparently they see one snowflake in Atlanta and it is the end of the world), we are canceling your flight and rebooking you on the morning flight the next day, Sunday. WHAT!!!! I don't think so and not acceptable. Anyway, more crying and sobbing and oh my god I need Disney a few times got the 1PM out of Pittsburgh booked, with arrival into Orlando at 8PM. The one I was first rebooked on in the first place. Well.....things go down from here. Left house at 9AM........1PM flight delayed until 2:30PM. Delayed 3 hours in Atlanta. Got into Orland at about 10PM. Made last call for food at Pop by 11:30PM. And saw about 1/6th of a resort I really wanted to check out. But hey, I was in Disney.....from 9AM until 10PM, I could have almost drove to Disney.


Now we look at the price for flying.....$600 for 3 tickets, $120 for a second bag (1 for each of us), cost of parking the car at the airport $60 and transportation to Universal for one day $50. $830....... Drive- $320 for gas, $200 for hotel to stop over (2 nights), $60 for extra nights at doggie kennel for 2 dogs. I am looking at about $600 to drive. Plus possibility to see Pedro's South of the Border and a few friends at Myrtle Beach.....bonus.

Yeah Airtran left a bitter taste in my mouth last year, and I am seriously considering the drive.......Unless one heck of a deal comes out with some carrier.

 

[2disneygirls]

In what part of Iowa do you live? I grew up in Story City, 10 miles north of Ames, and went to University of Iowa. I moved to Savannah 3 years ago, and I miss Iowa. I miss the snow, the friendly and polite people, and cheese balls.

Oh hey, miabellarose! I live in Des Moines......AND I went to Iowa State.....go Cyclones! We lived in Kansas City for 5 years after college and I missed the cheese balls too, LOL! Especially from Hickory Park in Ames!!!

Did you hear that the University of Iowa campus got blasted by the floods? Millions of dollars of damage. So sad.....

 

[amreli]

Oh hey, miabellarose! I live in Des Moines......AND I went to Iowa State.....go Cyclones! We lived in Kansas City for 5 years after college and I missed the cheese balls too, LOL! Especially from Hickory Park in Ames!!!

Did you hear that the University of Iowa campus got blasted by the floods? Millions of dollars of damage. So sad.....

My DH and I went to ISU!!!! Go CYCLONES!

(Miabellarose is my SIL and I have a Beat Iowa shirt specifically for when she's around )

We used to live in West Des Moines before moving down to the Charleston area. I miss the snow, but not enough to move back to it. Oh, and we go to Hickory Park every time we're back in town visiting my DH's (and miabella's) mom. Yum, yum!

 

[2disneygirls]

My DH and I went to ISU!!!! Go CYCLONES!

Always nice to "meet" another Cyclone! DH and I met there.

I see you are running the 1/2 marathon... DH is running too! (the full, though) Good luck to you!!

 

[debbieandroo]

Looks like I will miss you by a few days for a meet up Coffeehousemom. Bummer

Maybe we should try for one beginning of the month Snowbird meet and one end of the month Snowbird meet. . . Or maybe one each week of the month. . . What do you all think???

Looks like we have over 80 Snowbirds, but how many of us post all the time and would be interested in a meet, maybe 15-20???

Give me your thoughts everybody. . . I would be glad to get a Snowbird Meet schedule going!

I would love to meet some of my new Disney-loving friends. My traveling buddies think I have gone a little Disney overboard so they might truly believe you are just a figment of my imagination. How nice to prove them wrong....

Thank you for suggesting this ---

 

[miabellarose]

Oh hey, miabellarose! I live in Des Moines......AND I went to Iowa State.....go Cyclones! We lived in Kansas City for 5 years after college and I missed the cheese balls too, LOL! Especially from Hickory Park in Ames!!!

Did you hear that the University of Iowa campus got blasted by the floods? Millions of dollars of damage. So sad.....

My DH and I went to ISU!!!! Go CYCLONES!

Anyone who's anyone knows that the University of Iowa/HAWKEYES are way better than Cyclones --better school, better sports teams (in the past, but improving every year... I hope ); I mean I went there, that has to mean something, doesn't it?

 

[2disneygirls]

Anyone who's anyone knows that the University of Iowa/HAWKEYES are way better than Cyclones --better school, better sports teams (in the past, but improving every year... I hope ); I mean I went there, that has to mean something, doesn't it?

Um, well, I went there too......shhhhh......don't tell amreli.......

But I saw the light.....and went TOWARD THE LIGHT!!!!!

 

[miabellarose]

I just realized that you are doing a surprise trip for your daughters. How are you going to spring the surprise on them? Do they have any clue?

 

[2disneygirls]

We are going to tell them on Christmas morning. IF they don't figure it out before then....dd10 has already said, "Mom, what is a DISboard?" AND she found my LGMHs in my purse....I made up something lame about scrapbooking, hope she believed me.

 

[peach3es]

We are going to tell them on Christmas morning. IF they don't figure it out before then....dd10 has already said, "Mom, what is a DISboard?" AND she found my LGMHs in my purse....I made up something lame about scrapbooking, hope she believed me.

I hope you can pull it off! What a surprise that will be! In this house, my kids would believe anything I told them about scrapbooking! "Mama, why do you have a million dollars in your purse?" "Scrapbooking!" "Mama, why do you have 25 guide books on DisneyWorld?" "Scrapbooking!"

Of course, as much as I love surprises, it couldn't be a surprise. The reason we're going is because my Mom made an offhanded comment to my oldest daughter, Maggie, before we left the US 4 years ago. She said, "When you come back, maybe we'll go to Disney World!" Maggie was 3 1/2, but she never forgot that. So, when it came time for us to begin discussing our trip back to the US, the first thing Maggie mentioned was how Mo-mo promised to take us to Disney. Promised is stretching it a bit, but Maggie asked my Mom, and how could grandma refuse that? She's only seen her grandkids for a few weeks over the last 4 years. So, she's taking us a Disney! And I'm more excited that the kids!

 

[MindyLuvsMickey]

I wish I could surprise DS with a trip to Disney but I could never keep my big mouth shut. DS is the only person that is willing to talk about Disney with me, so I take advantage of it as much as I can!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

I wish I could surprise DS with a trip to Disney but I could never keep my big mouth shut. DS is the only person that is willing to talk about Disney with me, so I take advantage of it as much as I can!

I know, DS6 is my "Disney buddy"! We talk Disney all the time. My trip is a secret until Christmas morning too. So we just always say - "the next time we go to Disney, in a few years. . . . " They are going to be so surprised!!