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

[Remmy]

The dear children are fed, bathed and in bed. DH is off to work and my is almost complete. What a day it has been. Now only one more load of dishes to go and I should be able to snuggle into bed to watch my shows I have missed doing silly housework.

Tomorrow brings me,
Work with an inventory to be done (our counts are so off).
Both children go to school, poor teachers.
Hopefully a day full of wonderful codes.

I do wonder like the rest of you, if they are really off on bookings for this year, so they won't fret about January until near mid-December. Hopefully, they will want to see strong numbers for January sooner than later so the codes will be released sooner than later. Or do you think January bookings are doing so great they don't need codes?

I wish everyone a wonderful night. We came real close to the 100 pages, great try everyone. Maybe we will have a good QOTD tomorrow that will rack up our pages. I am so glad everyone so caring about all other Snowbirds.

 

[Remmy]

. please oh please let mama get some sleep!

I love this. I have the same problem at times but with my dear children, it is they come into my bed with me in the middle of the night, each at their own separate times. We bought a King size bed this January, and with DH working midnights, I thought I would have this nice large bed to myself. Then my children discovered the nice big new bed and each come trodding in at different times of the night, not every night, but enough. Lucky DH has the bed to himself all daytime. I wish for the few nights of no visitors.

It wouldn't be so bad if they just came in, but they insist on bringing in their pillows and special animals and etc, etc, so it can be a big production. I have tried the no children in bed rule, but I must go to work, and cannot be up all night with DS upset. I also didn't think of it hurting anyone since this January we will all be sharing beds and one room.

I keep thinking there will come the time that as they age, they won't be afraid of the "things in the night" and won't want to come in my room. I will enjoy this part of childhood as much as I can. Remmy

 

[Remmy]

Oh, and get this, Detroit Metro airport is raising parking lot rates. Why? Because the airlines need the help and need to be subsidized. I'm sorry, they're charging me $15 for each checked bag and now you're raising my parking from $10/day to $16/day? For the airlines?

Out of spite, I kind of want to hire a taxi service all the time, now! (We hire one when it's cheaper to use them than park, but now... I'd rather pay an honest local businessman than the airport to give more money to the airlines!)

If you don't mind me asking, is a taxi to the airport more expensive than parking there for your trip? I don't take the taxi as we live in a small town and we have our own vehicles. I would have a hard time swallowing that price for parking at an airport. (We also drive down to Disney, so we have never had to park at an airport either.)

I wish you luck on saving money for your Disney trip and not giving extra money away before you even make it there. Remmy

 

[crzyred]

Cryred,
Do you work in the Fox River Mall? Or what store are you at? I only get to Appleton about once a year...not a big shopper BUT I am going to Schaumberg, IL to the Ikea store and to the Woodfield Mall next weekend on a bus trip. There is a Disney store and also a Disney Vacation store there...so excited for those 2!

Yep. I'm actually in one of the "outer" stores, World Market. Right next to Linens and Things that is closing, so our traffic has increased drastically. I'm still mad that the Disney store in the mall closed. Although it's probably MUCH better that it did!

 

[mana_liz]

Well so far Northwest hasn't changed our flights. We leave at 6:40 am and get to Orlando at 9:18. Our return flight is at 6:55 pm and we land in Detroit at 9:30. The only airline that has ever changed our flight time was Air Tran on our October 2006 trip...we've been lucky.

 

[mana_liz]

We are also staying at a hotel by Metro Airport and taking their free shuttle over, so we can avoid parking fees and taxi services.

 

[crzyred]

We're flying Air Tran! I don't think they've changed our flight. I have no idea though, my mother has all that information!

I'm just praying for good weather the day I leave. Seriously, if my flight doesn't leave on time, it won't be pretty.

 

[mana_liz]

Air Tran also didn't notify us of the change...I didn't get it until I was doing the online check in the night before we left...they should have at least sent us a e-mail ahead of time. We did us them last year (because they were the cheapest) and had no issues.

 

[figmentfan0724]

so far i can say continental has not changed our flight...although we have moved it around a couple times

 

[debbieandroo]

HOLY MACKEREL!!!!

I worked last weekend then went out of town Monday, got back last night and found not only a new thread but almost 100 pages to the new one!!!

Zowie! One of these days, I'll spend a wonderful 800 hours catching up but now I just want to say - hi!

I really need to do a better job keeping up!

And am I right that no codes have come in yet?

 

[sarbah77]

Yikes! I haven't heard anything yet about mine. I'm hoping that because our flight sold out so long ago (I bought tix in early June), there won't be any schedule changes. Any thoughts?

No, it has nothing to do with sold out. Sometimes, it's just a matter of updating routes. Mine moved by less than 30 minutes - both of them - but I don't consider it a big deal. Sometimes I think it's just to make the flight time more accurate!

EEEWWWW! I forgot about parking lot rates. We will be in The World for 10 days and that can make for one big parking bill! I think last time we found an off site lot that was about $8-10 per day.

Here in Michigan, in January, I don't want to deal with non-covered parking in January! Finding my car and then digging it out is always kind of a pain, especially after coming back from Florida. The off-sites and the remote lots for the airport are all about the same, $8-$10/day, but in the winter, I'll pay someone else to take care of me. Also means I don't have to worry about pulling in to my driveway when we get back!

If you don't mind me asking, is a taxi to the airport more expensive than parking there for your trip? I don't take the taxi as we live in a small town and we have our own vehicles. I would have a hard time swallowing that price for parking at an airport. (We also drive down to Disney, so we have never had to park at an airport either.)

I wish you luck on saving money for your Disney trip and not giving extra money away before you even make it there. Remmy

We will DEFINITELY take a taxi in January. The lot near the NWA terminal is $19/day plus gas and a shuttle service is $77 (+tip) for the two of us. But for the shorter trips - like this weekend, when we leave Thursday p.m. and get back Sunday p.m., it's "only" $57 + gas to park.

When the lot near the NWA terminal first opened, it was $8/day. Then $10. Then $14 for the longest time. Now it's $19. The other covered lot WAS $10 and now it's up to $16. Man, for that kind of "convenience" I'll pay someone else to drop me off and pick me up, curbside!!

We are also staying at a hotel by Metro Airport and taking their free shuttle over, so we can avoid parking fees and taxi services.

In January, I'll keep my car in a garage so I don't have to worry about snow!! But we're 18 miles from the airport (and our flight leaves REALLY late, whereas your's is REALLY REALLY early!) so it's No Big Deal to get a taxi. And keeping all the local dudes in business!

 

[Momto2PrncChrmgs]

Did you remember the part of the instructions with the little picture of the mountain? Also if you have too much in your siggie it won't show up. I had to crunch my past trips to the minimum to get it to show up. Good luck! See everyone in the morning when we are celebrating our code savings!!!! [/quote]

I remembered the mountain after several tries and re-reads. Still didn't work. I'll try to scrunch the sig and see if that happens. Didn't play with it anymore last night, just wanted to sleep...

 

[Monny2AE]

Well it's not looking good for us January code seekers. What is Disney doing????? The Visa site still has special deals for the Trick or Treat party????

I remembered the mountain after several tries and re-reads. Still didn't work. I'll try to scrunch the sig and see if that happens. Didn't play with it anymore last night, just wanted to sleep...

Make sure when you paste it into the mountain pop up thingy- very technical I know - that it doesn't have http written twice in the beginning. I made that mistake too. It took me more times than I'd like to admit to get that bouncing pumpkin in my siggie! At least I knew better for the turkey!

 

[snykymom]

I PM'd you also Soleil!

So did I!!

[
It's so frustrating waiting and wondering isn't it? I hope that something comes through soon. It is to my benefit that I'm in the central time zone so all of the Snowbirds on the east coast can get me all the info! Have a good night!

You know, I'd be happy at this point if they'd just say, "Sorry, no codes for January." Then I could just stop watching and get back to life!!!

Did you remember the part of the instructions with the little picture of the mountain? Also if you have too much in your siggie it won't show up. I had to crunch my past trips to the minimum to get it to show up. Good luck! See everyone in the morning when we are celebrating our code savings!!!!

I remembered the mountain after several tries and re-reads. Still didn't work. I'll try to scrunch the sig and see if that happens. Didn't play with it anymore last night, just wanted to sleep...[/quote]

Remember that the last part of the code for the turkey needs to read [/img]. The code I sent to you was missing the last "]".

Today I'm off work, because I have to take my mother for minor surgery; she goes into the hospital today and has surgery tomorrow. Of course, to the doctor it's minor, but when you're over 80 years old, not much is really minor. So tomorrow, election day, I get to wait not just to see who's the next President, but how Mom's doing.

Please keep her in your thoughts!

 

[MAGGIED]

Haven't seen any codes for my snowbird friends yet this morning.... what are they waiting for....

 

[MAGGIED]

Today I'm off work, because I have to take my mother for minor surgery; she goes into the hospital today and has surgery tomorrow. Of course, to the doctor it's minor, but when you're over 80 years old, not much is really minor. So tomorrow, election day, I get to wait not just to see who's the next President, but how Mom's doing.

Please keep her in your thoughts!

Hope all goes well with mom tomorrow!!!

 

[Remmy]

I am wishing for the best for each Snowbird today. Let's all hope today is the magical day.

I think I am going to hop over to the Disney sites and see if there is anything new. I will come back here and report if there is something new.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Good morning Snowbirds.
Let's see. . . what did I miss???

Oh flights, well AirTran changed mine so much that I had to cancel completely and book with another airline. . . they didn't even bother to contact me either. . . Too bad because I actually prefer AT. Ended up booking with SW. . . so far no changes! Waiting on a Ding for better rates now!

We park at an offsite parking lot near the airport. It's $6 a day. They will warm your car up and get all of the snow off before you even get back to the lot on your shuttle!

Snyky - Good luck to your mom. Any surgery can be scary, even if it is minor. She will be in our thoughts and prayers, as well as you.

Still no codes. . .

 

[Lil'Mermaid75]

We're flying Air Tran! I don't think they've changed our flight. I have no idea though, my mother has all that information!

I'm just praying for good weather the day I leave. Seriously, if my flight doesn't leave on time, it won't be pretty.

Air Tran also didn't notify us of the change...I didn't get it until I was doing the online check in the night before we left...they should have at least sent us a e-mail ahead of time. We did us them last year (because they were the cheapest) and had no issues.

I've flown lots, and never had any problems with airlines changing my flight times more than 5-10 minutes. I've not been happy with Air Tran as of yet. I happened to check my itinerary and noticed they changed my flight on the way back from a non-stop to a stop and a 3- hour earlier departure time. They never notified us. I called and they re-booked us on another non-stop flight. My advise is to check your itinerary often with them.

 

[Lil'Mermaid75]

snykymom - hope all goes well with your mom tomorrow!!!