June comes before August & the APs will still be valid! I think we're done here!

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I'm pretty sure that a "prime" lens is one that doesn't change the focal length. So the 35mm is still a prime lens, it is just a wide angle lens, even considering the multipliers.

You have to understand that I am an enabler when it comes to photography equipment. I've asked for another portable hard drive, a gorilla pod and a lens baby for Mother's Day. It is a sickness, I tell you!

We're not DVC members but I got a Disney Rewards email today, too. If we join DVC we get a $900 American Airlines giftcard. I forwarded it to my husband as a Mother's Day suggestion. Ha!

I don't know ANYTHING about lenses, aside from the fact that they are EXPENSIVE.

DH wouldn't know how to use a portable hard drive. He has a gorilla pod. I have heard about the lens baby and DH is NOT allowed to have one. (His username is oogieboogieman - if you see him on the Photo forum he is NOT allowed to have a lens baby.)

I really need the DVC guide to call me back. NOW.

 

[lovesdumbo]

I'm pretty sure that a "prime" lens is one that doesn't change the focal length. So the 35mm is still a prime lens, it is just a wide angle lens, even considering the multipliers.

You have to understand that I am an enabler when it comes to photography equipment. I've asked for another portable hard drive, a gorilla pod and a lens baby for Mother's Day. It is a sickness, I tell you!

We're not DVC members but I got a Disney Rewards email today, too. If we join DVC we get a $900 American Airlines giftcard. I forwarded it to my husband as a Mother's Day suggestion. Ha!

I had to look up the lens baby-they look pretty cool but I didn't look at prices.

I would be more supportive of the purchase of a $750 18-200 lens than the 50mm. And way more supportive if he'd stick to ONE camera brand/mount. I sometimes feel burdened by my D90/flash/2 lenses/gorilla pod/tripod....I can't imagine having FIVE camera bodies and 3 different brands/mounts.....

I would love a new lens or 2 but can't justify it just yet....

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I knew he wanted to buy another lens NOW. There was no way an almost $800 lens was happening before the trip.

Guide never did call me back. I will have to hound him tomorrow.

 

[princessallegra]

Hooray for 31 days for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also super cool about the new camera for DH!!!

I can't believe how close we are!!!!!!!! I have that feeling in my chest at all times, and am having trouble sleeping!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I am really excited about this trip!

I am pestering DH about doing a 50 pt. add-on. He is not impressed.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

30 days!

 

[PNO4TE]

30 days!

Yippee!!!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

My guide still has not called me back, but after reading some additional info on the DVC board I don't think we're going to add on. The gift card is only $250 for a 50 pt. add-on. If it was $900, that would be different. $250, not worth it. The points would be nice, but we definitely don't need to add more right now.

We will definitely do the Member tour at BLT next month, just because we can. But we don't want to own at BLT. In the future we will add more AKV points, but it makes more sense to buy them resale unless there is some ROCKIN' incentive through Disney.

 

[SunnieRN]

As usual, I am late to the party, but love your trip reports/pre trip reports!!

Since we aren't going to WDW for anybody's birthday this year I have decided to order a cake for DS. He doesn't like cake, but I do. I like it A LOT! Theoretically he will graduate from middle school the day before we leave. I think a congratulatory cake would be a lovely gesture, even though he doesn't like cake.

Now to review my ADRs and decide what night a cake would fit in with our plans!

Great idea!!

Airfare is insane. I told my mom we would try to come up for July 4th, but airfare that used to be about $100 round trip is $240! I am conflicted over what to do. I don't think I want to spend $500, but how can I put a price on going to see my mom? Guilt, guilt, guilt.

Maybe if you fly her to your house?

I have decided the easiest way for DH to raise money for his new lens is to open up DS's closet to thrill seekers and charge admission. It is VERY scary in there! I found a pair of shoes this morning that should have been in the garage sale bag that was picked up yesterday. We did donate a fair amount of stuff, so now I can actually walk into the closet, but it is still quite frightening! I think we could have found more stuff to get rid of if we had more time.

I am trying to decide if I want to start ironing stuff for the trip. I HATE to iron. But some of the stuff I want to bring is so wrinkled that it will have to be ironed. SO do I mess with it now, or pack it wrinkled and face ironing it when we get there? Most of the time I just spritz stuff with wrinkle releaser, but these are advanced wrinkles. These wrinkles would just laugh at the spray.

lol to showing off your sons closet to make money! As for ironing, I like to iron in my dryer also.

Have a wonderful trip!! I am excited to read about it! We will be at WDW from May 31 until June 11, at AKV also!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

SunnieRN, WELCOME!

Our cake is all set for 6/13. I hope DS is surprised, even if he doesn't EAT any of it!
I DID offer to fly my mom down to visit. But I would ALSO have to pay for my sister, which is just as bad as flying up there with DS.
YAY for your trip! Are you in Kidani or Jambo? Maybe we will run into you! We're in Jambo the whole time.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I can't believe I am still agonizing over the cost of food. I am wondering if DS might want to eat from the adult menu this year. And if he does, I am wondering if the basic DDP might be better than paying OOP with the TIW card. Hmm.

It looks like the plan + other OOP food expenses would run about $500 higher than my estimated costs WITHOUT a plan. So even if we have to add an additional $30 worth of food to DS's consumption each day, we come out ahead WITHOUT a dining plan. What are the chances that he will be SO hungry that we need to purchase another $30 worth of food EVERY DAY over and above what he ate each day last year? I think we are OK without the dining plan. Really, I do.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

So, I was thinking...
The other day when I was putzing around on the Disney site I noticed that they have the value 1 bedroom villa available. Hmm. AND they are slashing prices. Hmm. So what if I switched our first 2 nights to the villa instead of staying in the pool view room? I pulled it up using the "summer discount" and it would cost me an extra $279 to upgrade.

Never mind!

 

[Aristocath]

See, my 10 and 12 year old boys are big eaters with sophisticated tastes so the dining plan works out well for us. My 7 year old is a chicken strips and pizza kind of guy. I'll bet the TIW card will work well for you.

I'm shocked that your trip is just 29 days away. School will be out before we know it. My middle schooler gets out June 4 but my two in elementary school get out June 18! I keep remembering last year at this time Fort Worth ISD had Swine Flu vacation and we almost went to WDW!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

See, my 10 and 12 year old boys are big eaters with sophisticated tastes so the dining plan works out well for us. My 7 year old is a chicken strips and pizza kind of guy. I'll bet the TIW card will work well for you.

I'm shocked that your trip is just 29 days away. School will be out before we know it. My middle schooler gets out June 4 but my two in elementary school get out June 18! I keep remembering last year at this time Fort Worth ISD had Swine Flu vacation and we almost went to WDW!

DS loves sushi, calamari, grilled fish, steak. The problem is that the adult portions are way too big for him. He usually splits an appetizer with DH, then he orders from the kid's menu. I just can't seem to get a grip on how much the food is going to cost.

DxDDP would be like $3000 by the time we paid for the plan and all the tips. How can 3 people spend THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS on food in 15 days???

The one scenario I ran with the basic DDP landed us around $2700. My first estimate of OOP with the TIW card was around $2200, but I think that's too low. This year we don't have a concierge level room, so we'll be paying for breakfast and snacks that were included last year. And DS might want more food. So maybe $2400? That's what we spend on groceries in FOUR MONTHS at home.

I need to just stop thinking about it. We'll do OOP with TIW, we'll eat what we want, and when we get home whatever it cost is whatever it cost and that's that!

DISD gets out 6/3. But the last 4 days are exams so those are all early dismissal days.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

FOUR weeks 'til departure!​

​

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I have decided the Merrell sandals are too tight. The strap that is the most bothersome is the one that doesn't adjust. Since the straps are fairly narrow I have a feeling by the end of the day they will really be digging into my feet. I took them out of the box this AM, put them on, walked to the kitchen to get more coffee, walked back to the computer, wore them for about 5 minutes sitting in the chair, and I already had marks on my feet. Yep. Too tight. Which should come as no surprise because they are medium width and I have wide feet.

The Eccos are in transit somewhere. The tracking on them is a joke. At this point I am just hoping they arrive eventually.

 

[Aristocath]

Have you tried Keens? I've been wearing mine for a few weeks on our nightly walks. So far I'm pleased.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Have you tried Keens? I've been wearing mine for a few weeks on our nightly walks. So far I'm pleased.

I don't think I have tried Keens. I have a pair of Tevas, a pair of Privo, and my Eccos were delievered a few minutes ago. They are much LESS purple than they looked on the Ecco site - much more in line with the sort of mauve/brown I originally expected. They are plenty wide. I think they might actually be a little bit too big, but I am not going to tell DH. I am going to just wear them and hope for the best. The stitching on the inside rubs my big toe, but hopefully once I get used to it (and put some on some blister stick) it will be OK.

 

[Aristocath]

Yesterday we went to the Disney warehouse sale. They had a lot of Disneyland stuff. Each of my three boys found a shirt they liked but of course they were only 30% off, not 80%!

Anyway, thanks, and Happy Mother's Day!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I was looking at the Flying Fish menu last night. I LOVE Flying Fish! I wonder if we should go twice? I see a day where I could add it. Decisions, decisions...

I found 2 more shirts for DH when I was out yesterday, so he should be set.

The Ecco sandals really could be one size smaller. The way they are made, there are nylon straps on top of a neoprene lining. If I pull the strap tighter, the neoprene buckles and rubs my toe. If I leave the strap looser then the shoes feel too big. I guess I will research Amazon's return policy.