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

[Northern Disney Girl]

QOTD - Relaxing? hhhmmmmmm, don't think I have ever done that there before...... considering my first trip was when I was 12 and my last trip was when I was 17! This time though...... I have made sure to schedule in time to relax! There are days we will sleep in, time to swim (hoping for warm weather), playground time for the kids, shopping time for Mommy (me!) and Daddy wants to try a few beers from "around the world"

 

[trixiequilts]

Where is everybody this morning?

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Good morning Trixie! I'm here!! Just doing laundry this morning and getting ready to go to WalMart.

 

[Kazooie01]

Good Morning Snowbirds. Hope everyone had a great weekend.

Has any one heard how the EMH went with no wristbands last night? If not, I'm sure there will be a post out soon. It'll be interesting to see how it worked out.

 

[PEANUT1]

Good morning all...as for relaxing, my hubby got me a spa treatment at SSR for our last trip. It was wonderful...I was at the spa and hubby and kids went to MGM.

 

[sarbah77]

Oh, I highly recommend one day trip out to Kennedy Space Center. We went once when they were getting the shuttle ready for it's next mission. We got to see the HUGENESS of the transporter that brings the launch pad out from the VAB (Vehicle Assembly Building - see I learned something!), plus we rode out to the Apollo mission launch pads. The exhibits and tours were really an awe-inspiring thing to do. Those astronauts are really heroes and it's hard to get the true sense of it until you see the actual vehicles. Those space capsules were so SMALL and they went to the moon in them! Seriously, try to talk him into it if you have the time! It's not someplace I'd go to again, but you should try to do it once in your life.

Maybe next time he'll be more interested. I looked at our schedule and said "uhoh, we're only going to have 3 days for Disney Parks" (since Saturday is for pre-race activities, Sunday is for him falling down post-race, leaving us Mon-Fri and flying out the next Saturday) since we were discussing Universal Studios AND Kennedy Space Center. He opted for US instead.




Happy Monday to everyone else! Fall is in the air. We've turned off our AC and had some REALLY chilly mornings with the windows open these past few days. Brrr. Add in the 6:30am pre-dawn wake up and oh man. Is it time for Disney yet?!

Four months and a day until we arrive! (Of course, if the flight is delayed, four months and two days! )

 

[BellaSoleil]

Goodmorning everyone!

I baked cookies last night for DH and they turned out terribly! I was trying to be sweet, because I was quite a pill that morning. Oh, well!

Oh, and I heard on the radio that Hurricane Ike is headed into the gulf. Grrr!!!

 

[MindyLuvsMickey]

Good Morning!

Bella~hope you make it through Ike with little issue.

Trying to do some more Disney planning this morning. I need to call the WeGoShop people and find out what I need to know there.

Does anyone know about internet stuff while at WDW? I know the Poly has connections but is there a fee? I'm trying to decide whether or not to take the laptop.

 

[snykymom]

I believe that internet access is about $10 for 24 hours.

 

[Monny2AE]

Morning All!!! Wanted to jump on and say hello before running some errands.

Goodness, I feel so under-prepared now! Not only do I need a tub, but I also need more T-shirts! Disneyshopping.com - here I come!

Great picture - you have great self-discipline not to take stuff out of the bin before January - I'd be 'borrowing' things all the time!

The only problem is that all that I have bought are t shirts and it may be too chilly for them. Gotta find some sweatshirts now for layering

And it is hard not to give my kids the fun stuff I have stashed away yet but it will be worth it on Christmas morning or during the 2 day car ride when they have new fun stuff to play with.

QOTD

I love the picture of the bin. We too are packing in bins. My DH now thinks we could save room by packing suitcases so I told him we will pack all in tubs first, place bins in our small SUV then take out and repack all in suitcases, refit into SUV and see which is better. I do like the bin idea since it seems easier to have less of them to carry than the suitcases. It is scary all the little things you can buy and stuff into a tote and not notice how full they are getting. I think I have bought a new t-shirt for everyday we are there for our DS. We have been planning now for over 2 years so I have bought a little at a time and guessed and hoped he would be the size I have bought for. My DD is picky and I am waiting until after Christmas sales at the Disney store about 1 hour away and see what we can pick up for her. She is a shopaholic and I am afraid she will have a severe attack of the givemes at WDW if we don't have something new for her to wear just like DS. Our thoughts are it is cheaper to have purchased all clothing before we go so we don't use up our vacation money on too many new clothing articles; maybe one special something for each of us.

Wishing everyone had an excellent weekend.

That was my thought- if I surprise them with new shirts and stuff for the trip then we won't want to buy every shirt while we are down there. Plus I've gotten really great deals on the ones I have- all around $2-3 each.

We're not sure if we are going to pack in the totes or suitcases- I just throw it all in a tote until it's time to pack for real. If we take my dh's truck we may do totes b/c they are waterproof.

 

[coffeehousemom]

Disney visa we thought about getting one but when we read the fine print the interest rate listed way almost twice what we have on any other card personal or business. Does anyone have a card w/ a good rate on it? Can you call in to get different rate then what is on the paper they send? We have never had a card w a rate higher than 8% the paper said 12%.


Relax? HMM not in my vocabulary at Disney!!


QOTD
What shoes are your favorite for Disney?

Mine last year Sketchers this year Birkenstocks & Crocs maybe Teevas.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Disney visa we thought about getting one but when we read the fine print the interest rate listed way almost twice what we have on any other card personal or business. Does anyone have a card w/ a good rate on it? Can you call in to get different rate then what is on the paper they send? We have never had a card w a rate higher than 8% the paper said 12%.


Relax? HMM not in my vocabulary at Disney!!


QOTD
What shoes are your favorite for Disney?

Mine last year Sketchers this year Birkenstocks & Crocs maybe Teevas.

I just checked and my Disney Visa rate is 11.15%. But we almost always pay it off each month, so I rarely look at the rate. We just use it for gas and groceries just to get the reward points on things we were going to purchase anyway! From time to time I do get a 0% interest offer on it for a certain amount of time. Not sure why, there doesn't seem to be any pattern to it. But I always get 0% interest on Disney vacation packages for 6 months!

Answer of the Day ~

I usually end up just wearing my sandals. I pack my Reebok tennis shoes and wear them for maybe one day and then decide they are too hot!! So then I break out the sandals and have sore feet the rest of the week! Not sure what I'll be wearing in January. . . ??? Probably not going to have the heat issues to deal with then!

 

[BellaSoleil]

coffeehousemom- We do the same thing with our Credit Card as Shelly does. (Wish is was a Disney Visa.) I carry our CC and DH carries our debit. At the end of the week I transfer my spendings, so that it is paid off. It's exciting to see how many rewards points we rack up that way. I think using it for groceries, gas, ect. and paying it off quickly is a great way to gain points.

QOTD:
As you can probably guess, I'm much more for fashion than comfort. I know, I know......

I even wore heels to Epcot on my Honeymoon. Don't worry.... I payed the price!

This trip, I am buying a pair of Steve Madden boots that seem super comfy and a pair of Uggs in case it is cold. I've also got a couple pairs of flats and I'm going to put Dr. Scholl's pads in them.

 

[sharadoc]

I just checked and my Disney Visa rate is 11.15%. But we almost always pay it off each month, so I rarely look at the rate. We just use it for gas and groceries just to get the reward points on things we were going to purchase anyway! From time to time I do get a 0% interest offer on it for a certain amount of time. Not sure why, there doesn't seem to be any pattern to it. But I always get 0% interest on Disney vacation packages for 6 months!

I used to work for one of the major credit card companies and they do "promotions" to get you to put more on your card. The 0% on a convenience check, or for a certain amount of time gets you to spend more and they make money off the merchant fees, even if you DO pay it off. But a lot of people don't pay it off, so they end up earning interest off you anyway. Sometimes there is no rhyme or reason for why you're chosen (like a Disney Pin Code!)

 

[coffeehousemom]

I love Steve Madden very comfy. I figure since we are driving down from the frozen north we will already have warm shoes to wear if needed there. My kids usually end up wearing out 2 pairs of winter boots a year. They live in them from October till April anymore. Now they are saying we will have an even worse winter than last year.


True about the points pay of thing will mention to DH again. He tends to not think like that. Looks at it from a later point of view verses now. But it sure would be nice to put all of the vacation on that card now get the points & pay it off with our income tax return. HMM something to think about.


It is pouring down rain here & quite chilly so not much in th eway of walk in customers but gives me more time to DIS.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Sometimes there is no rhyme or reason for why you're chosen (like a Disney Pin Code!)

I'd rather get a Disney Pin code!!

 

[BellaSoleil]

What is a Disney pin code?

 

[nala87]

CoffeeHousemom-Where are you from in Wisconsin? I went to college in Ashland, WI up on Lake Superior. I am really missing the fall colors that should be starting now.
I was going to get the Disney Visa, but I found the Discover rewards card to be a much better deal. With 5% back on items in certain catagories, i.e. gas and hotels until 9/30. I don't look at interest rates though b/c i use mine as basically a debit card w/rewards.
QOTD-
I have to have comfortable shoes and I hate wearing socks, so in the summer it's always flip flops. I like the feeling of almost waking barefoot.
Sometimes I'll buy Teva type shoes, but mostly flip flops.

 

[laurainsem]

Thank you for your response about the Disney Visa! I'm thinking of putting the rest of our trip balance on the card to earn some points. It will also take the pressure off paying it immediately so I can focus more on my student loan payments that are creeping up. I hated to get a credit card, but I figured the perks of the Disney points were worth it. Plus, I know i'll pay it off each month so i'm not too worried. Glad to hear you've enjoyed the perks!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

QOTD-
I have to have comfortable shoes and I hate wearing socks, so in the summer it's always flip flops. I like the feeling of almost waking barefoot.
Sometimes I'll buy Teva type shoes, but mostly flip flops.

I like to wear my flip flops too! It's especially fun to wear them to Epcot and you can feel the breeze on your feet when you ride Soarin!

Will it be too cold in January for Flip Flops?