July 6, 2010 - 7/6/2010 ~ Pounds to Rubles ~ Mickey invades the Baltic Sea

[denise]

I totally agree that you can never have enough DVC points! We made our initial DVC purchase waaaaay back in 1995 and immediately had to borrow points in order to do everything we wanted to do that year! We've been borrowed out ever since! We added on points in 2004 and again last October when we bought into Bay Lake Tower! And we're STILL borrowed into the next use year!!!!!! Ahhhhhhhh, I just love "going home" to DVC!

We bought our points back in 1992, sight unseen!!! Then after our first stay at OKW we bought more! We've been ok with banking and borrowing...always used them, until this year. The left over points I was able to "rent" them out with just 19 points left over that expire in Jan of 2010...will try to rent out those 19 but that might be hard. The "rental" fee I got paid for DD's cruise in 2010! It was easy to rent, just wish we had more to rent!
We also own 3 timeshares at Mariott....yes we are timeshare poor....
We have been very lucky with those and have never lost any of our time....always using them or trading...we own at Newport Coast near Disneyland, Lake Tahoe, and Ko'Olina Hawaii...(next to where Disney is building the new DVC)
Once we retire we will just travel......I hope....

 

[nzdisneymom]

We have just five points unbooked for the 2008-2009 use year -- we have five nights at Hilton Head for spring break, and 8 nights at the Disneyland Hotel, plus we had a weekend stay at Boardwalk in a 1BR (splurge) in october for dh's race for the taste weekend. And we had borrowed for Zachary's 11th birthday in September. Guess I'll bank my leftover five points

We have tried to figure out how to use the DVC for DCL - it's part of what sold DH on buying DVC. But summer 2007, we used points to stay at the Mandarin Oriental in Washington, DC, which was really nice. And I'd like to stay in Boston at the Marriott there which is one we can trade into.

I had looked at what DVC had available in London to see if we could use points to extend our stay pre- or post-cruise in 2010 but we couldn't get a space to stay for four within our point-range.

I've read a lot of other DISers who have rented their points and then used the cash to sail DCL - I think that's a great use of points when you haven't already spent them / booked them for land stays.

My boss is going to Spain this week for just over a week's stay. We spent today sending all of our email to her using the Google translator to put it all in Spanish I was noticing the other language options and thinking that I wanted to try out some expressions in the languages of the various countries we'll be visiting in 2010. She got a big kick out of our emails today.

 

[denise]

Since the ships came out we have been trading DVC to DCL with no problem. We have cruised every other year. Some with stays at OKW too. The Med cruise took so many points and since we didn't see anything we liked (or had not done yet) for 2009 we had left over 2008 points that we didn't use last year for the med. (banked points, that years points and some borrowed pts)
I had banked them to 2009, too bad they expire in Jan 2010...darn...could have used them and gotten a veranda!
It was the first time I rented them. Joined a thread and was helped out so much. Just didn't have the time to rent the points I had to use for the Baltic before booking. I was unsure if it would work and didn't want to book with cash just in case. I rented out my points on the second day of listing them! They have paid 25% and the rest will be paid in Jan. Talked to them on the phone. Seems to have gone very smoothly.
Have never traded with I.I. with Disney. Have seen trades into Disney though. Can't wait to trade into Ko'Olina DVC. Will spend at week at Marriott then go over 2 lagoons to DVC!!! Heaven.....

 

[threebritts]

just checking in to say HI!
Ive been working alot of overtime, just keeping thinking 1 year,7 months ,4 weeks and 3 days LOL
Working Thangsgiving but have Christmas eve off which is what I wanted so Ill just look at it as 5 less pounds to lose.
Hope everyone is having a great week and enjoying time with families.
DH ( aka Chevy chase as I call him each xmas) is probably putting lights up this weekend, then depending on what the neighbors put up we'll probably get more.

 

[Keggy]

We have a friend that works for Disney that went out to Hawaii for the DVC event. We haven't spoken to him yet, so I haven't heard how everything went.

We put up our Christmas tree this past weekend. We are going to Disney with my in-laws, Bob & Sue, who are also going on the cruise, for Thanksgiving and then the weekend after we are busy with a wedding. I am looking forward to this weekend, the weather should be really nice!

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!

Kelly

 

[tinkerbell_29]

Cindy at least you have a few points left to bank with our 14 night summer trip and then the five days after the crusie I actually had to borrow points for the first time. I would really love to add some on but in this economy do not want to finance so we will wait until we ahve saved enoguh to buy them out right. We've never financed our points and I really don't want to do that. I'd rather wait and save the money.

Lissa

 

[DW2DH&DS]

In case I don't get a chance to log on tomorrow...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KAYLIE!!!

 

[jship210]

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone, be sure to count your Blessings.

 

[tinkerbell_29]

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Have a great day tomorrow!

Lissa

 

[Deb T.]

Happy Thanksgiving!

I have a lot to be thankful for... both of DS's flights went smoothly and DD had a safe drive to here today. It's wonderful to have our whole family together for a couple of days!

I am NOT thankful for our refrigerator that conked out on us today!! We'll be hitting the appliance stores first thing on Black Friday to order a new one. We sure weren't planning on THAT extra expense right now.

 

[denise]

Oh, Deb....I know how that feels...ours did the same thing last month...cost over 600 to fix it...really wanted a new one but that was $2400! It's 12 years old and it's first repair so we did that.
Just got a call to go to work to fix someones DSL service....so will make big bucks for about 15 minutes of real work!!!! Glad dinner is at our friends house...

Love the picture of big bird!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!


denise and family

 

[CarolAnnC]

Happy Thanksgiving to all my new and old cruising buddies!! This time next year, we will be in the heat of cruise detail planning!

Regarding the conversation above on DVC points - I am always in borrow mode it seems, even with a very good amount of points that we have. But, it allows us to take some fantastic trips such as this Baltic cruise. Had one of our use years been a couple of months earlier, we could have splurged on our fav cat 6. But, at least we will have some points then for future vacations. This is taking up 2 years of our points yikes.

Yikes on the fridge breaking! What timing... One year our water heater blew and flooded our family room the night b4 T'day. Paid thru the nose for that one to be replaced on the holiday.

We just watched the whole Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV. It is always so entertaining and really does kick off the Christmas season. Love seeing Santa at the end.

Off to wrap a few gifts before heading out to my sister's for dinner..

 

[nzdisneymom]

I hope that everyone who celebrated Thanksgiving today had a wonderful time with their family and friends, and safe travels to everyone going and coming. We're visiting DH's family and had all of us on that side there except for one nephew/wife/son who had to be at her family's this year. It was the first time in two years that we've all been together - and that was for DH's mother's funeral - before that it was even longer. We got some family pictures today, too, so that was especially nice.

My SIL/BIL and BIL/SIL were over in England last September but I had not seen their pictures - so it was fun to look at SIL/BIL's pictures from London and they also had been to Dover so we got to see some from Dover as well.

Just think - in 5 weeks we'll be able to say we're going to the Baltic "next year" instead of having to say "in 2010" (which sounds so far away).

 

[DW2DH&DS]

Good morning everybody. Hope you enjoyed your turkey and/or ham.
We went to my SIL's . It was very nice not to have to cook this year. I always cook Christmas dinner though...Prime Rib. My DFIL always picks up a nice one from the butcher. This way we can stay at home so Jack can play with his "Haul." The kid is spoiled by DH's parents. They ask for a list, we provide it, list fulfilled. Helps us out a lot. It is tough when your kid has a bday close to Christmas. We look all year long, but really start shopping in the summer. DH was up at 4am to hit Toys R Us before work. Poor guy. Not really...he is working only half day, then he will hit the golf course to play a round of golf with some out of town friends in for the holiday. anyway, that should be the last of what we need to cover the "kid's" BDAY and XMAS...with the exception of small stocking stuffers.

Anybody else planning to strengthen our economy by heading out on this fine Black Friday ? I avoid it like the plague if I can. crowds are too crazy for me. too many psychos. JK!!

have a good day everybody!!!

 

[denise]

Happy Day After....
ate way too much but it was all so good. Met lots of new people at our friends and had such a great time. My sweet pototoes where a hit!

We are leaving soon for San Francisco for the auto show. Our day after tradition each year. This time our DD BFF is also joining us...
San Francisco is always fun this time of year with all of its decorations.

Have a great day everyone....
Happy shopping.....

 

[nzdisneymom]

We were at a discount bookstore today and they had several London travel books and one for Stockholm. But they were all 2007 or prior. I wanted to buy some to start reading / studying but decided I will wait til at least the 2008 ones are discounted I wish our local library would carry the more up-to-date versions of travel books but they always have the old ones.

Anyone else already thinking about travel books?

 

[jship210]

We were at a discount bookstore today and they had several London travel books and one for Stockholm. But they were all 2007 or prior. I wanted to buy some to start reading / studying but decided I will wait til at least the 2008 ones are discounted I wish our local library would carry the more up-to-date versions of travel books but they always have the old ones.

Anyone else already thinking about travel books?

Samantha Brown Weekend Getaway London- 11/30/08 good tips, don't know how old the show is.

 

[nzdisneymom]

Samantha Brown Weekend Getaway London- 11/30/08 good tips, don't know how old the show is.

I just told DH - he's a big Samantha Brown fan. He's in charge of watching it.

 

[CarolAnnC]

Oh boy! I will definitely have to catch this show! Love Samantha Brown - she is originally from New Hampshire where we are from too. Will have to tape if I can't watch..

 

[scottishwee35]

We were at a discount bookstore today and they had several London travel books and one for Stockholm. But they were all 2007 or prior. I wanted to buy some to start reading / studying but decided I will wait til at least the 2008 ones are discounted I wish our local library would carry the more up-to-date versions of travel books but they always have the old ones.

Anyone else already thinking about travel books?

Hello Everybody

I bought lots of book for Med and I think I am not buying any more books this times.

I read cruisecritic and it help and lots of information there.

I never heard Black Friday maybe I missed out *** I cannot hear....

I did read my dis on panama and I realised what Black Friday about.

I am planning to go to New York next year last week in November 09 and I have to tell ladies about Black Friday and Thanksgiving too.

Have a nice day...

Scottishwee35