June, July, August PLANNING thread

[mkymouse4ever]

EE22, Wow now I know why I don't go to Great America! Did you go to the Mall up there? It reminds me of the Outlet malls in Orlando. How was the drive. Did you go into Chicago? I sent you a pm about the coupons.

TP2, Last year while at WDW, we heard people around us with the DDP, and several times, had families splitting meals, or getting 1 appetizer, 1 dessert, and the someone else paying cash for there entree, and splitting the appetizer and dessert. So don't fret. I believe that all things and combinations are wildly acceptable at wdw. I am sure it will be very easy, and no worries once you get started with the DDP. I kinda regret not getting it ourselves for August.

Mouseaddicts, Wow your daughter got 2 trips! She is down there now with Tomar@SSR. They are not back yet, too. Hope She is having a great trip.

You guys back, How about a few dining suggestions? Where would you not eat again? why? (I just was reviewing my adr's). Thanks everyone, mky

 

[EEyorelover22]

Hi All!

I have my trip report done. It's not written like some on the boards, but it works for me. I am still making changes, but when I get it done, I will email it to you. DD is reading it too. I know some things are in the wrong spot like when we rode each ride, but that's not really important.

Chicago was fun. We took 88 which was all 4 lanes to 294 right to the hotel which was a bit off the tollway, but not far. We picked up traffic in Aurora, but we got there around 1:30 so we were good. DH couldn't believe the traffic. They drive like crazy people. We did stop at the Ohare Oasis which was fun. I should send my Chicago pics this time I also emailed a mini trip report to a friend. I should send it. It was SO HOT!!! the water park was nutso. The mall was huge. Not great deals though. It was nice to be in a Disney Store. My friend and I are going on Saturday to Moline. I guess they are getting in their fall stuff.

My brother hit major traffic like I knew he would in Gary and then bumper to bumper the rest of the way and didn't arrive till 4:00. We were going to go up 294 for dinner, but it was a parking lot of cars so we ened up at Friday's an hour later...4 blocks from the hotel It was hidden behind a taco bell when we drove by the first time!

That is interesting at the DDP. Never would have thought about the tip. I always tipped the full amount before the DDE discount.

Eveything at Mara was labeled "snack" for the DDP too. They had a big variety.

Having ADRs is a must though. The places were packed when we were there.

I would not eat at Chef Mickey's for breakfast. I think I told you that already. Compared to the other places, it was not nearly as good. CP, Boma, Donald's, Play N Dine, 1900 Park Faire were awesome for breakfast. Sci Fi, Prime Time, Hollywood and Vine, Boma, LTT and even CRT were all very good. I thinks that's it for us. The boys ate at Rainforest at AK and it was good, but slow service. Earl of Sandwich was AWESOME! The boys also like the food at Quest. DD and I never went in there this trip. DD and I also did Beaches and Cream and Chefs de France for lunch. Both were very good. Different days of course

 

[mkymouse4ever]

EE22, That sounds like Chicago traffic. It has just moved down here, and extends west. If I didn't get train sick, I would go that way. Anything from here going north is an event. For an occassional meeting in chicago (conferences) I usually go the night before, and stay over. Or your late all the time. And yes, Illinoisan's drive like lunatic's. You can pick us out at disney.

I will look for that trip report. Thanks for the dining advice. Cause of nephew, think I will be at every character dinner / breakfast going except for jo jo's. He is too old. We are filled with adr's, so should be ok. I will weigh a ton, thou if we keep them all. What is play n' dine?

I have had a student nurse following me around for about a month, she is a hawkeye. From IOWA state? Not sure if that is the correct name. (out of state colleges, where not an option for me). I told her I have an online friend from Iowa. She lives in Naperville, and graduates this year. Trying to talk her into working with us when she is done. Sounds like a great school. Very nice girl. They are lucky to have her.

We have had some bad things going on here. My 12 yr old german shep. "wolfie" is sick. Going to vet today. See what there plan is? Family is all upset. Hope this is resolved and he gets better before we go. He is the best, friendliest, character. Very worried.

Mky

 

[tripplanner2]

MKY: So sorry to hear about your dog. I sure hope he gets better.

EE22: You should come to Long Island. We have traffic ALL THE TIME. And we have family that says we live in the stix! Not anymore!

I got the Entertainment book today. Lots of coupons. Refresh my memory of which company you are using. PM me with your address and I will mail them out to you. They are good through the year.

 

[mkymouse4ever]

TP2, Thanks.

Its his arthritis. They didn't find anything else. We are going to try some new meds. He hasn't been able to get up. Doesn't walk around much. Gotten worse this week, each day. But hopefully he will be feeling better, with some pharmacology. We are keeping our fingers crossed.

I made some copies today of our ressies (air, car etc..) and tried the car prices they are now about twice as much for both trips. Keeping what I got and very happy about it.

 

[EEyorelover22]

MKY: Sorry about your dog. Having pets is fun, but can be so painful as well. They just can't tell you where they hurt either. I hope things turn around soon.

TP2: Traffic: We have none so any is a problem for me I couldn't live in it anymore. People aren't very nice in big cities either. Here they know me at Target

Iowa State is in Ames which is about 2 hours west of here north of Des Moines. It is a very good school and smaller than the University of Iowa. DH has his master's in electrical engineering from there. I have my master's from the University of Iowa in measurement and stat. We are rivals I guess!

I wonder if it isn't the University of Iowa though as their mascot is the Hawkeyes and State are the Cyclones. Don't call her a Hawkeye if she's from Iowa State...people around here become very emotional if you offend them over their school loyalty!! We don't have any professional teams so they are a bit nutso around here with college sports

DH and DD just saw a racoon going down the sewer. Those babies are nasty!!!

 

[EEyorelover22]

ps...
Play n Dine is Jo-Jo's at MGM.
Good food

 

[mkymouse4ever]

EE22, Your right it must be U.of Iowa. cause she is definately a hawkeye. (saw the shirt). Your lucky you have racoons! We have a skunk family. They chase sis to her car every day. I told her they are walking their leader to her car. Yes my "wolfie" is the baby. No kids (medical reasons) So he is it. Spoiled to the core. He looks a little better today. 1 more day with no meds then we start the new ones. I think he is worried we will haul him back to the vet, if he does get up and remain contient.

Still waiting for the October rates. guess its gonna be a while now. Just hope we don't get passed over too.

 

[mkymouse4ever]

TP2, I saw the weather and there is a tropical storm NOT headed for florida, but up your way. Are you by the coast? They where talking about it hitting Nantuket. The Northeast. You where worried about going to florida in august, and mother nature is moving north. Hope you don't get too much rain. Don't underestimate a tropical storm. We where at disney for one once, and it was really something.

Are you packing yet? I am still looking at my piles.

 

[tripplanner2]

MKY: I hope your dog is doing better tomorrow after he gets some medicine.

We are about 1 mile from the sound but we are on the North side of Long Island so we usually do not get hit as hard as the south shore. I was actually more concerned about a hurricane hitting here than in Florida this August. Our insurance wanted to cancel us because they feel we are due for a major storm. What are we going to do. I am going on vacation and I am swearing off the news. I will just hope for the best.

On a lighter note, I did start packing. I bought an air mattress because I am afraid of the double beds not cutting it with the 3 kids. DD2 is not in a crib anymore so I see no way that she will sleep in a pack and play. I also started packing toiletries and glow sticks, all stuff that we don't need on a daily basis. I started to look at clothes but nothing is packed. I also have the girls princess costumes that I can start to put away. I feel like we are getting so close now. You are leaving any sooner than me. Can't wait.

 

[EEyorelover22]

MKY: When do you expect October rates do you think?

When did they come out for Sept? mid July, right? I've got all the info here to call you so don't let it bother you while you are gone.

I hope your dog is better soon too.

UoI has a great nursing school. My best friend's sister (she's a former student that's why so young ) is just finishing there. I'd almost think it was her, but I think she went up to Minneapolis. They have a great medical school that's probably why.

TP2: Yup, don't watch the news. I hate watching the middle east stuff...it's so sad and we missed the first days of it since we were at Disney.

How awesome that you can pack princess stuff. DD was 8 the first time we went so she was already too old. Treasure the those moments! I'm so glad that you are doing CRT! DD asked if we could again do it at Christmas. It's so wonderful. I don't know if you read my trip report yet, but we had the two seater table by the window. It was magical.

I'll send Happy Thoughts your way about the weather. My uncle had a house out on Fire Island. It was destroyed a couple times.

By the way: Did you get my trip report? I hope it didn't go to your spam folder. Let me know if you did or didn't.

 

[EEyorelover22]

Okay...mistake, I turned on the news. It's official...I'm never leaving the country!! After our incident in Sanford the last night which is minor compared to the news, I would never be able to handle it! I'm watching people get on marine craft walking to the beach to leave Lebanon. I can't even imagine. I hope they can all get home safely.

TP2: I guess, at least you're at home for the storm. I'd be worried sick if I were away.

MKY: Did you ask your student about the tornado that Iowa City had this spring. It ripped apart the city. We were at a track meet that night and it was nasty out. Some students in Iowa City lost everything. It was only weeks before finals so the University made a ruling that students could take their current grade in a course and be done.

 

[tripplanner2]

EE22: I did read your trip report. It was great. Last year I used a huge photo album and added comments to index cards. My version of a trip report/scrap book. I don't like scrap books because you use so few pictures per page and we are like your family. We took 700 pictures during our trip last year. There is no way I can narrow that down to just a couple. I do add stickers and make it fun, I just like more pictures included.

Fire Island is off the south shore of Long Island and we are on the north shore. Luckily we do not get the brunt of the storms on the north shore. Fire Island gets killed by these storms when they blow in. Have you ever been? Lots of fun and very beautiful but to buy a house there is very risky. I want to vacation there but even getting a room in a dump will run a couple of hundred dollars a night. Not surprised your friend had to rebuild several times.

The radio is talking about the tropical storm but the news is only talking about the mess in the middle east. It went from 95 degrees here this week to 75 after thunder storms. We shall see what the weekend has in store for us.

 

[mkymouse4ever]

TP2, Good luck in the weather. Will be watching the weather channel and thinking of you. With all the tv / movies about NY areas, its weird meeting you and your from "long island". Just like on TV. You must be a movie star. It must be nice to live in the East. On the Coast. Best we have here is Lake Michigan. The air mattress is a good idea. You will be happy you brought it.

EE22, Yes she talked about the tornado. Said it hit as close as 3 houses away from her's. She was in a brick building and went to the basement. She said it was really bad thou, and her house was lucky.
8yrs old is not too old for the princess dress, I want one!
As for my October rates, probably toward the end of my trip up to Labor day holiday? So yours should be out 1st part of october? I could not open your trip report? I had sis try, and it didn't open, so i guess it was just not confused me.

Wolfie looks a little better today. Its been a little cooler, and storming here. So he is just relaxing. Thanks for the thoughts.

mky (wantabe)

 

[EEyorelover22]

TP2: I've been to Fire Island back when I was in high school and I would visit my cousins and aunt and uncle. He had a nice house. He has a lot of money too

I don't scrapbook either. I want it all done now! I also don't have that kind of time. My DSIL said she scrapbooks for 12 hours straight. I wish I had that kind of time.

MKY: I'm not sure when December rates will come out. Who knows if ever. I checked my other email though and I did get a pin code, but it's the same as everyone else's. Maybe I'll get lucky for December. I've gotten one every year for fall-Dec and watch I won't get one this year.

I sent the trip report via email and pasted it in there so you should be able to read it now.

 

[tripplanner2]

MKY: Where we live on Long Island is not too glamorous. A lot of traffic and pretty congested. We used to have peach farms and dairy farms with ice skating rinks in the winter, no more. There is a house on every square in of land around here. The schools are way overcrowded and taxes are REAL high. I grew up here and then DH got a job teaching so we are here to stay. We can't afford to live anywhere else on his salary so we will just stay put.

I hope Wolfie is feeling better today.

Your only 13 days away. How exciting!!!

 

[EEyorelover22]

How is Wolfie today?

 

[mkymouse4ever]

Wolfie started meds yesterday, and was very active. Found him all the way in the back yard far corners. Hasn't been out there in weeks. Way more active with it just in 1 day. The Vet said, if it works it will be immediate. She was right. So we should be ok for now! Thanks everyone!

EE22, I sent your letter out. What is the Pin code that is out? Of course, you have 2 trips this year, and get the pin code when your not going. Well, at least you know your on the possible list. I didn't get the email with your (2nd attempt) for the trip report. It wasn't in spam either. ??

TP2, We are getting in the same boat here. To drive to Chicago there where several farms, and different suburbs > NOW it is straight through. No land in site. Guess our country is getting too crowded. We have to go out to EE22's to see farm country & land again. Hope you do ok with the storms. Hang in there.

Scrapebooking! I started that craze!! I'm not kidding. I tried (no supplies then) thought it was a great idea. Put pic's and things collected in an old time scrape book. This was circ 1980's. When I took my neices, and gave them the books. Years later when the craze started and Disney jumped in, I said it was a "my idea!" > to do a disney trip scapebook.
My sister also owns the idea, of in a picture collage, using disney icon, cut outs to frame the pictures. She gave me this for birthday years ago? Then we see disney selling these in the Catalog. I think our house is being watched? By Disney businessmen???

Have a great weekend everyone!

 

[tripplanner2]

So glad to hear that Wolfie is feeling better. I am sure you will have a better time on your trip now.

 

[EEyorelover22]

Good news about Wolfie

I resent the trip report in a word document and pasted in an email. It must be something with aol. How weird.

The pin code I have is for basically the same offer that's out through the end of Sept. I get a pin code each fall for Oct-Dec and never have been able to use it. I probably won't this year since we're going

TP2: How are the storms...over yet?

We use to have a corn field in our back yard now it is all houses so right where I am is built up now, but nothing like the big city that's for sure. Between here and Iowa City is almost completely farm land.