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

[Momof2Disneyboys]

I was just looking over the new deal on the WDW webiste. . . It has moderates as being $94 a night for my dates (and it's only good Sun-Thurs nights). If I figure the buy 4 get 3 free deal out I only paid roughly $85 a night, plus will get the $200 gift card!!

 

[pamouselover]

Disney Holiday Magic with Samantha Brown will be showing on
Thursday December 04, 2008 from 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM on the Travel Channel.

I almost forgot to remind you all!

 

[jenjolt]

Disney Holiday Magic with Samantha Brown will be showing on
Thursday December 04, 2008 from 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM on the Travel Channel.

I almost forgot to remind you all!

I have to remember to set my DVR thank you!!!!!

 

[sharadoc]

I was just looking over the new deal on the WDW webiste. . . It has moderates as being $94 a night for my dates (and it's only good Sun-Thurs nights). If I figure the buy 4 get 3 free deal out I only paid roughly $85 a night, plus will get the $200 gift card!!

Yep, I think the 4/3 deal is better, since they are blacking out the weekends in this new deal. This is a good deal for anyone who is going for less than a week, but throwing in the full price weekend makes it not so "great."

 

[BellaSoleil]

Okay, I just checked out the new code. If I switch to AKL, I will save $150.
Do you think it is worth it? I've kind of planned everything around Wilderness Lodge. G sounds excited about the possiblity of AKL, but it might be too far out from everything.

 

[Pluto_fan]

Disney Holiday Magic with Samantha Brown will be showing on
Thursday December 04, 2008 from 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM on the Travel Channel.

I almost forgot to remind you all!

Thanks!!

Last Friday it was my turn to pick for Family Movie Night. So I picked...the WDW Planning DVD! (Does anyone know when the 2009 version will be available?) The boys were pretty enthused about it, discussing what they wanted to ride. When it showed some kids getting pictures and autographs with the characters, I mentioned that we probably would skip a lot of that, thinking that they were probably getting a little old to want to do it, and their little sister is kind of young for it. DS10 looked very alarmed and said, "Why would we skip it?" and DS8 said, "I want to get autographs from Goofy and Donald!" So I guess they're not too grown up after all.

 

[sharadoc]

Okay, I just checked out the new code. If I switch to AKL, I will save $150.
Do you think it is worth it? I've kind of planned everything around Wilderness Lodge. G sounds excited about the possiblity of AKL, but it might be too far out from everything.

My opinion-

Both seem like the same style resort. Wilderness Lodge is closer to MK. Most important - are you currently getting the deal with the gift card? If so, then are you really saving $150, even with losing the gift card? If you are, then it's worth considering. Where do you think you'll be spending more time?

You can drive yourself crazy with all these new deals. Good luck.

 

[BellaSoleil]

It can make you crazy! Why won't they do this for Wilderness Lodge! Why only AKL!!! (I'm whining here...)

G was super excited at first, but he thought AKL was even more deluxe than WL. I told him they were the same and he said to do whatever I want. Maybe we will try AKL next fall. I don't want to be hassled with the extra travel. Many of our ADR's are at monorail resorts.

 

[jenjolt]

Okay, I just checked out the new code. If I switch to AKL, I will save $150.
Do you think it is worth it? I've kind of planned everything around Wilderness Lodge. G sounds excited about the possiblity of AKL, but it might be too far out from everything.

I'm going to give you the advice that a very wise person earlier today gave me.... UPGRADE (Of course this might make me a bad influence)

Actually you have to do whatever makes most sense for your trip. Of course when I called there was no availiability for me to upgrade with my AP discount, and I'm not switching from that considering I have a weekend during my travels and I got a great deal. LOL

 

[Monny2AE]

Disney Holiday Magic with Samantha Brown will be showing on
Thursday December 04, 2008 from 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM on the Travel Channel.

I almost forgot to remind you all!

Thanks!!!! I had forgotten about it

I was just looking over the new deal on the WDW webiste. . . It has moderates as being $94 a night for my dates (and it's only good Sun-Thurs nights). If I figure the buy 4 get 3 free deal out I only paid roughly $85 a night, plus will get the $200 gift card!!

I did the math too just in case and we make out much better with the 4/3 deal with $200 gift card!

Okay, I just checked out the new code. If I switch to AKL, I will save $150.
Do you think it is worth it? I've kind of planned everything around Wilderness Lodge. G sounds excited about the possiblity of AKL, but it might be too far out from everything.

Do you have to pay a penalty for making changes this close? My 2 cents- go with what you want the most...as long as it doesn't change your cost too much or alter your plans/ADR's too much.

 

[Dancegrl624]

Question for everyone that celebrates Christmas regarding Santa...

My hubby and I can't decide what to do as far as the wrapping goes.

I grew up with stuff from my parents being wrapped but anything from Santa wasn't wrapped.

My hubby grew up with everything wrapped and labeled who it was from- parents or Santa, which is how he figured things out so young- mom's handwriting was the same as Santa's, Santa used the same gift wrap and labels as mom.

We just can't decide what to do.

What does everyone else do?

Growing up, all of our presents were wrapped and the gifts from my parents had tags on them. The gifts from Santa did not. Santa also had different paper for me and my two sisters. That way, we knew which presents belonged to which girl. My DH and I do the same thing with our DD. The gifts from us have tags and the gifts from Santa don't. He still used different paper than we do. Santa also fills the stockings, which we always forget about until about 2 hours after we open our gifts!

Just a quick fyi for all you Old Navy shoppers out there! Tomorrow, the stores will start opening at 8am and closing at 11pm. Also, all sweaters will be 40% off from Dec 5th-7th! Ok, enough promoting my place of work.

 

[Pluto_fan]

I'm excited! For the first time in a long time, I actually made a concrete step toward our WDW trip! OK, it's not a major step, but still...I reserved our hotel room for the trip down and back. We're going to stay along I-95 in Georgia, same place both ways (unless it turns out to be terrible on the way down, then we'll have to change to somewhere else for the way back!). Mapquest says it will be 9 hrs, 48 mins from home...but with DH driving it will probably be more like 8 hrs. Then the next day, just under 4 hrs (again, according to Mapquest) to Disney! Yea! Added bonus, I was able to use hotel points for both nights so we don't even have to pay.

 

[Monny2AE]

Growing up, all of our presents were wrapped and the gifts from my parents had tags on them. The gifts from Santa did not. Santa also had different paper for me and my two sisters. That way, we knew which presents belonged to which girl. My DH and I do the same thing with our DD. The gifts from us have tags and the gifts from Santa don't. He still used different paper than we do. Santa also fills the stockings, which we always forget about until about 2 hours after we open our gifts!

Just a quick fyi for all you Old Navy shoppers out there! Tomorrow, the stores will start opening at 8am and closing at 11pm. Also, all sweaters will be 40% off from Dec 5th-7th! Ok, enough promoting my place of work.

I went Black Friday and got some jeans for $15!!!! I love Old Navy and could never work there- I'd spend too much of my paycheck! When do the $15 sweatpants go on sale? Not the velour ones though the regular ones- I LOVE them!

 

[Dancegrl624]

Disney Holiday Magic with Samantha Brown will be showing on
Thursday December 04, 2008 from 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM on the Travel Channel.

I almost forgot to remind you all!

I've got my DVR all set! I'm actually watching Disney Splurge! right now on the Travel Channel. They're showing Adventures by Disney in Costa Rica right now. My DD is here with me and she went with me to the DVC travel show. They talked about Adventures by Disney and she turns to me and says, "They must have 160 points!" Even my 6yo knows how many points you have to purchase for the DVC!! She must have been paying better attention than I thought! Once again, she just brought up how badly she wants to go to Disney. I wish I could tell her! Oh well. Only 51 more days!

 

[Dancegrl624]

I went Black Friday and got some jeans for $15!!!! I love Old Navy and could never work there- I'd spend too much of my paycheck! When do the $15 sweatpants go on sale? Not the velour ones though the regular ones- I LOVE them!

I got my DH a pair of jeans on Friday! I have NO idea when the sweats go on sale. And let me tell you, it's very difficult working there! However, I shopped there ALL the time before I started working there. The discount is SO worth it!

 

[jenjolt]

We will have to totally discuss our thoughts on the show after it is on LOL!!!

 

[Kazooie01]

My Husband checked the new deal against the buy four get three and we're saving more by sticking with what we have (even more if you count the gift card!). Best of all, we are now PAID IN FULL (listen carefully... you can hear a choir singing hallelujah!!! hallelujah!!!).

 

[danceintherain]

Hi guys,
Sorry I have not been around to much. Hell has broken out at my house. My 18 year old is having big problems and she thinks that I am the root of many of them. I am working 7 days a week when I can to make money to cover what I can since DH lost his job. We are not doing badly right now, but we won't stay afloat for very long. We are going on our trip because everything has been prepaid, so I would lose money. I am a mess and gloomy and down so I haven't posted much. I do not want to be a downer at Christmas. Huge hugs to all who need it and hugs to all!
glo

I'm sorry! It's a teenage phase. I know I went through it, but once I realized how much life costs and how hard my parents work... I snapped right out of it!

Question for everyone that celebrates Christmas regarding Santa...

My hubby and I can't decide what to do as far as the wrapping goes.

I grew up with stuff from my parents being wrapped but anything from Santa wasn't wrapped.

My hubby grew up with everything wrapped and labeled who it was from- parents or Santa, which is how he figured things out so young- mom's handwriting was the same as Santa's, Santa used the same gift wrap and labels as mom.

We just can't decide what to do.

What does everyone else do?

I think Santa was crazy in reference to my family. He ALWAYS wrapped our presents. I might have to write him a letter to tell him he doesn't need to do that for my kids.

One year Santa snuck into my room and put a Rainbow Brite doll in my bed. That is the best Christmas I remember.

We are not doing Santa this year. Belle has absolutely NO INTEREST in him at all. If it's not Mickey Mouse, she turns her nose up. I was really hoping to do Santa this year, but we are just going to buy lots of Disney World goodies instead.

However, she is very into Baby Jesus. She calls him Baby Jee-zee (which sounds like a rapper to me) and everytime she see's a nativity scene she's runs to it in awe and gives the baby a kiss. Now that beats Santa excitement anyday in my book!

Awwwww! That's what Christmas is really about anyways. You have a very smart little girl.

Okay, so if I were to change to AKL... (because of the new discount) what would my penalty be? I'm past my 45 days.

I think the penalty is $50 for any rate changes

Okay, I just checked out the new code. If I switch to AKL, I will save $150.
Do you think it is worth it? I've kind of planned everything around Wilderness Lodge. G sounds excited about the possiblity of AKL, but it might be too far out from everything.

You should change! Then we'll be in the same resort at the same time. I've never stayed there before though, so I'm not sure what the transportation situation will be.

I checked the new deal for my dates and the only availability was Saratoga Springs 3-bedroom (over $10,000 ) and Old Key West studio for about what we're paying at AKL, but we wouldn't have the dining plan, which means it costs about $800 more. I have been checking my Spring Break in March though... and have found that I could stay in a Moderate for about $700.
I'm actually beginning to wonder how the Disney Resort discounts will affect the non-Disney hotel rates for next year. I would LOVE to try the Swan or Dolphin for my trip in June at a significantly discounted rate!

 

[Dancegrl624]

Now we're watching Disney: On a Dime. I could watch shows about WDW 24 hrs a day and 7 days a week! I'm going to have to go through my guide and see what other fun Disney shows are going to be on!

 

[sharadoc]

I'm excited! For the first time in a long time, I actually made a concrete step toward our WDW trip! OK, it's not a major step, but still...I reserved our hotel room for the trip down and back. We're going to stay along I-95 in Georgia, same place both ways (unless it turns out to be terrible on the way down, then we'll have to change to somewhere else for the way back!). Mapquest says it will be 9 hrs, 48 mins from home...but with DH driving it will probably be more like 8 hrs. Then the next day, just under 4 hrs (again, according to Mapquest) to Disney! Yea! Added bonus, I was able to use hotel points for both nights so we don't even have to pay.

Good for you - I'm going through exactly the same thing. We're probably stopping in South Carolina, probably around Florence. That will put us around 9 1/2 hours from home, then we'll have around 7 to drive the next day, so we'll get into WDW around check-in time. I have vowed to make the reservations this weekend and get that out of the way.

Love your ticker - exactly like mine!!