Kidnap the Sandy Claws, lock him up real tight- Oct PTR pg. 234 8/25 up to date itin

[rentayenta]

I truly believe they know exactly what they can get away with. But I decided that I am not going to be as much of a push over and they are learning. It isn't fun for any of us.

Good for you! Any tips for me as yours are older?

I've only been in a BCV studio but it was great for 2! The Cabins are great but...your kids are probably too big for it. Ours were back in 2010. Biggest drawback is it is a double in the bedroom and the murphy is a double. We ended up with K and I in the bedroom double, Jeff on the murphy and Taylor on the couch!

The E's loved it though. Only one bathroom was a bit of a challenge but manageable. The whole thing was saved by the deck and the kitchen though. I'm not sure if we'd go back or not, only b/c a double is awfully small for Jeff and I, it's why we skip most of the mods and values as it is. Other than being squished, it was the bomb.

I will say though, YC, or any of the deluxes that sleep 5 was big enough for all of us, it worked out really well other than the no kitchen part (or laundry). When I look at summer point charts, for weekends, the deluxes that sleeps 5 becomes more and more attractive, especially if there is any kind of promo. Although with the new layout at Art of Animation....(about the same price as a deluxe though!) that might be even better. On a promo though 2 connecting rooms at WL or AKL is a pretty sweet way to go for a family of 5 or 6.

We are going to in WDW at the same time by the looks of your signature. We have to meet up for a Grey Goose slushie! I briefly recall you mentioning some of the ladies you're going with.



The YC looks amazing- nautical is my standard favorite theme. My issue is not using points and paying OOP so to speak. I think DH would flip. I think the Art of Animation looks neat as do the Royal Rooms at the POR.

Double beds don't work for us anymore either. Even my two teens are squished in a double.

 

[kaoden39]

I wish I had some wonderfully sage advice. But I am flying by the seat of my pants. The books don't get it. Every kid is different and I just have to go with my imagination. My hair is getting gray.

 

[rentayenta]

I wish I had some wonderfully sage advice. But I am flying by the seat of my pants. The books don't get it. Every kid is different and I just have to go with my imagination. My hair is getting gray.

Noooooo! I need sage advice but I'll settle for mediocre advice. I agree they are all different.

 

[kaoden39]

Noooooo! I need sage advice but I'll settle for mediocre advice. I agree they are all different.

When ever Kacy does something that is over the edge I know that if I take her cell phone she will straighten right around. With Kody it is the beloved computer. Loren it is the video games or watching football on tv.

 

[rentayenta]

When ever Kacy does something that is over the edge I know that if I take her cell phone she will straighten right around. With Kody it is the beloved computer. Loren it is the video games or watching football on tv.

For Gab it's her clothes. Chloe it's her stuffed animals which I have yet to follow through with. Joshua shapes right up when I take his new DS3D.

61 days until 7 month booking!!! ​

95 until ADRs!!! ​

275 days until WDW!!! ​

 

[kaoden39]

Isn't it funny how different they all are? Even though they are so similar they are so different.

 

[rentayenta]

Isn't it funny how different they all are? Even though they are so similar they are so different.

It's unreal to me. You'd never know they were raised in the same household. I think though too my parenting style has evolved over time.

 

[kaoden39]

It's unreal to me. You'd never know they were raised in the same household. I think though too my parenting style has evolved over time.

I know that mine has. But my kids are all total 3 years and 3 months apart so I didn't get that much time to perfect anything.

 

[rentayenta]

I know that mine has. But my kids are all total 3 years and 3 months apart so I didn't get that much time to perfect anything.

Wow, they are close. My girls are 22 months apart. Chloe and Josh are 28 months apart. I thought I was bananas.

 

[kaoden39]

Wow, they are close. My girls are 22 months apart. Chloe and Josh are 28 months apart. I thought I was bananas.

Well Kody was a major surprise. I told the DR that I need a stronger BC pill after I had Kacy and he told me that once Kacy was 6 months old my body would straighten around. Well if being straightened around means being pregnant again then it worked. Loren was actually planned. I was 34 and it was then or never for me.

 

[rentayenta]

Well Kody was a major surprise. I told the DR that I need a stronger BC pill after I had Kacy and he told me that once Kacy was 6 months old my body would straighten around. Well if being straightened around means being pregnant again then it worked. Loren was actually planned. I was 34 and it was then or never for me.

PG x 2 on birth control? Wow!

60 days until 7 month booking!!! ​

94 until ADRs!!! ​

274 days until WDW!!! ​

 

[kaoden39]

But I wouldn't trade them for a anything in the world.

 

[eandesmom]

We are going to in WDW at the same time by the looks of your signature. We have to meet up for a Grey Goose slushie! I briefly recall you mentioning some of the ladies you're going with.

The YC looks amazing- nautical is my standard favorite theme. My issue is not using points and paying OOP so to speak. I think DH would flip. I think the Art of Animation looks neat as do the Royal Rooms at the POR.

Double beds don't work for us anymore either. Even my two teens are squished in a double.

Double beds suck. Perfect for a tween/tween SOLO. Or anyone solo I guess lol but for 2, they need to be 12 or under! I'm glad to see the mods seem to be moving towards changing that.

It definitely looks like we overlap and we MUST have a slushie. I almost wish it was a kids trip as I'm sure Kendall and Gabby would hit it off. I'm there the 18th-23rd. Currently at VWL but we are hoping to move to BCV at the 7 month mark. I'm rooming with MEK (Mary Ellen). There's a group, ones I know for sure that are booked and overalp are mickeysmyboy (melissa), 2excited2sleep (Christine), manntra (tracey) and jenjolt (Jen). But there's more, that's just the east/west from last year. The FB group has about 20, you are in that already though!

So....drank the koolaid this week. Booked at Vero Beach before our cruise! We went low on points though as weekends are so brutal for our travel periods we will likely end up with a combo of DVC cash rates on the weekends or promo resort rates to stretch things as efficiently as possible.

 

[rentayenta]

But I wouldn't trade them for a anything in the world.

Of course.

Double beds suck. Perfect for a tween/tween SOLO. Or anyone solo I guess lol but for 2, they need to be 12 or under! I'm glad to see the mods seem to be moving towards changing that.

It definitely looks like we overlap and we MUST have a slushie. I almost wish it was a kids trip as I'm sure Kendall and Gabby would hit it off. I'm there the 18th-23rd. Currently at VWL but we are hoping to move to BCV at the 7 month mark. I'm rooming with MEK (Mary Ellen). There's a group, ones I know for sure that are booked and overalp are mickeysmyboy (melissa), 2excited2sleep (Christine), manntra (tracey) and jenjolt (Jen). But there's more, that's just the east/west from last year. The FB group has about 20, you are in that already though!

So....drank the koolaid this week. Booked at Vero Beach before our cruise! We went low on points though as weekends are so brutal for our travel periods we will likely end up with a combo of DVC cash rates on the weekends or promo resort rates to stretch things as efficiently as possible.

Vero looks so cool!! I love the kool-aid. Are you doing a Disney Cruise?

I wish your kids were going too. They'd totally hit it off. Cool moms, moody teens, soccer...... Our whole trip overlaps. Slushies for sure. M says he wants to spend a ton more time at WS this trip and I'm totally on board. As it gets closer, we can plan but it will be easy enough to hook up. I love the kids being at ages where we can give them and us a little freedom.

 

[eandesmom]

Vero looks so cool!! I love the kool-aid. Are you doing a Disney Cruise?

I wish your kids were going too. They'd totally hit it off. Cool moms, moody teens, soccer...... Our whole trip overlaps. Slushies for sure. M says he wants to spend a ton more time at WS this trip and I'm totally on board. As it gets closer, we can plan but it will be easy enough to hook up. I love the kids being at ages where we can give them and us a little freedom.

We are doing a cruise. Right now it's Vero for 5 nights and then the Dream for 4. We've actually never done a true beach vacation with the kids so we are pretty excited about it! K's bday is on day 1 of the cruise, nice way to turn 16 huh! If K really wants WDW for part of it, we will probably move things around but right now are not planning any WDW days for this trip since it's likely we will have a big family one in 2013. She won't make that one though so that's why if she wants some on this trip, we'll make it happen. It may be our last chance for a summer trip with K. We are both paranoid that next summer, with college recruiting in it's last season, will have her not wanting to be out of town for a second...unless it's at a tournament. We are fairly certain we've booked around all possible conflicts for this coming summer since HS takes a mandatory 2 weeks off before tryouts, but if she changes clubs (and she might) all bets may be off.

It would be fun to hook up our crew, the girls would totally hit it off, boys too. Maybe one of these days we'll cross paths in Cali with the kids in tow, you never know. Cool that the entire thing overlaps, slushies and ritas at the Ditch Not in the same night mind you. The nice thing about no kids is I am totally a free agent for days, it's kind of mind boggling. I'm with you though, it is so nice having kids at an age where they can have a little freedom. Our Alaska cruise was amazing in that respect. I'd expected some nice couple time but not to be ditched at every available opportunity! To have them able to do that, and know they were safe was priceless for all of us. It will be very interesting to see if Kendall adapts like that on the cruise this time, I'm really hoping we meet a family or 2 at Vero on our same cruise so she can have her own "gang" for the cruise and board knowing 1-2 girls already. As you know, at 16, all you really want to do is hang with your friends.

 

[rentayenta]

59 days until 7 month booking!!! ​

93 until ADRs!!! ​

273 days until WDW!!! ​

We are doing a cruise. Right now it's Vero for 5 nights and then the Dream for 4. We've actually never done a true beach vacation with the kids so we are pretty excited about it! K's bday is on day 1 of the cruise, nice way to turn 16 huh! If K really wants WDW for part of it, we will probably move things around but right now are not planning any WDW days for this trip since it's likely we will have a big family one in 2013. She won't make that one though so that's why if she wants some on this trip, we'll make it happen. It may be our last chance for a summer trip with K. We are both paranoid that next summer, with college recruiting in it's last season, will have her not wanting to be out of town for a second...unless it's at a tournament. We are fairly certain we've booked around all possible conflicts for this coming summer since HS takes a mandatory 2 weeks off before tryouts, but if she changes clubs (and she might) all bets may be off.

What a great way to turn 16! I love real beach vacations. They are so relaxing. Leaving WDW out of the mix will really allow you to chill. Where are you crushing to? The Dream looks like a beautiful ship. I keep revisiting a cruise but it seems that 5th person really jacks up the price. I hear about people cruising for like $200 a person but not sure where they're going for that price. Vero looks like so much fun. I think you've got a great trip planned. If you decide to add some WDW to the mix, where will you stay?

It would be fun to hook up our crew, the girls would totally hit it off, boys too. Maybe one of these days we'll cross paths in Cali with the kids in tow, you never know. Cool that the entire thing overlaps, slushies and ritas at the Ditch Not in the same night mind you. The nice thing about no kids is I am totally a free agent for days, it's kind of mind boggling. I'm with you though, it is so nice having kids at an age where they can have a little freedom. Our Alaska cruise was amazing in that respect. I'd expected some nice couple time but not to be ditched at every available opportunity! To have them able to do that, and know they were safe was priceless for all of us. It will be very interesting to see if Kendall adapts like that on the cruise this time, I'm really hoping we meet a family or 2 at Vero on our same cruise so she can have her own "gang" for the cruise and board knowing 1-2 girls already. As you know, at 16, all you really want to do is hang with your friends.

What do you have you guys have planned for the girls only trip? Have you stayed at the WL before?

That is one of the intriguing things about a cruise, the kids ability to roam free in a fairly controlled environment. I really need to figure this out. DH is totally against it.

 

[Native NYer]

Hi Jenny!
How is the planning going?

I need to catch up here.

 

[eandesmom]

What a great way to turn 16! I love real beach vacations. They are so relaxing. Leaving WDW out of the mix will really allow you to chill. Where are you crushing to? The Dream looks like a beautiful ship. I keep revisiting a cruise but it seems that 5th person really jacks up the price. I hear about people cruising for like $200 a person but not sure where they're going for that price. Vero looks like so much fun. I think you've got a great trip planned. If you decide to add some WDW to the mix, where will you stay?

We go to Nassau and Castaway Cay. The 5th person definitely jacks it up. Supposedly some have good luck booking 2 connecting rooms for less but we are pretty dead set on having a verandah so we are better off in the family room for 5. But if you were ok with ocean view or inside cabin then it could be less for 2. Problem on the Dream and the Fantasy is that those inside cabins have the virutal portholes and they are in really high demand so they can cost as much as a verandah. Booking early is really the key, like the minute itineraries come out. Jeff was VERY anti cruise...made an exception for Alaska and now is supportive of this one so never say never. He definitely liked it more than expected. I think it does depend on where you go and what cruise line. At this point it's looking less likely that we will add any WDW but as it gets closer and we actually book flights, who knows. I am really really looking forward to a beach focused trip. 9 days of beach, sun and cruising sounds pretty sweet at the moment! The E's have never been on a beach trip so it will be a nice change and totally mellow!

What do you have you guys have planned for the girls only trip? Have you stayed at the WL before?

That is one of the intriguing things about a cruise, the kids ability to roam free in a fairly controlled environment. I really need to figure this out. DH is totally against it.

For the girls trip, there is nothing really planned yet, at some point we'll start figuring out our ADR's and maybe get a PTR going. We have talked about a special private dining event, like a dessert at a WS pavillion or something but it's early still. I have stayed at WL but not in the villas. We may move to BWV or BCV at 7 months to be closer to food and wine but if not, I'll love WL. We loved our verandah when we stayed there, the room wasn't my favorite but the verandah was the bomb!

 

[rentayenta]

Hi Jenny!
How is the planning going?

I need to catch up here.

Hi girl. Lots is going on. The kids are still changing their minds on where to stay. They are back on the OKW wagon as of today. They loved the pool and the pool party. It really is a great resort. The vibe is so laid back. Also DH said he'd be willing to give up his beloved 2 bedroom at SSR so we could stay at the THV and another resort However the kids and I decided we would not do that to him. He rarely gets any say in vacation decisions and when we bought DVC he said: too bad I'll never get to stay there. So we are keeping the 2 bedroom much to his shock. Now for the next 5 nights, we'll see. They've got 58 days to decide.

We go to Nassau and Castaway Cay. The 5th person definitely jacks it up. Supposedly some have good luck booking 2 connecting rooms for less but we are pretty dead set on having a verandah so we are better off in the family room for 5. But if you were ok with ocean view or inside cabin then it could be less for 2. Problem on the Dream and the Fantasy is that those inside cabins have the virutal portholes and they are in really high demand so they can cost as much as a verandah. Booking early is really the key, like the minute itineraries come out. Jeff was VERY anti cruise...made an exception for Alaska and now is supportive of this one so never say never. He definitely liked it more than expected. I think it does depend on where you go and what cruise line. At this point it's looking less likely that we will add any WDW but as it gets closer and we actually book flights, who knows. I am really really looking forward to a beach focused trip. 9 days of beach, sun and cruising sounds pretty sweet at the moment! The E's have never been on a beach trip so it will be a nice change and totally mellow!

I looked into a non DCL Mexico cruise and what you said is true. It was cheaper to book inside and verandah rooms and forgo the suite. Plus we'd get way more room. However it still wasn't the $200 per person cruise I hear everyone talking about. I think some local *friends* are churching up how cheap they are cruising for. Little liars. I'm glad your honey is on board. You were smart to butter him up with a masculine Alaska cruise first.

For the girls trip, there is nothing really planned yet, at some point we'll start figuring out our ADR's and maybe get a PTR going. We have talked about a special private dining event, like a dessert at a WS pavillion or something but it's early still. I have stayed at WL but not in the villas. We may move to BWV or BCV at 7 months to be closer to food and wine but if not, I'll love WL. We loved our verandah when we stayed there, the room wasn't my favorite but the verandah was the bomb!

Very cool! I've only been to the VWL once in 2007 to meet friends. Love the lobby. Reminds me a lot of the GCV.

I have thought about moving to an Epcot resort too. In fact the BWV are back on the table.

Keep me posted if you start a PTR. I don't want to crash the party but definitely want to meet up for a drink.

I am caught up on Alaska too. What a beautiful place.

 

[eandesmom]

Hi girl. Lots is going on. The kids are still changing their minds on where to stay. They are back on the OKW wagon as of today. They loved the pool and the pool party. It really is a great resort. The vibe is so laid back. Also DH said he'd be willing to give up his beloved 2 bedroom at SSR so we could stay at the THV and another resort However the kids and I decided we would not do that to him. He rarely gets any say in vacation decisions and when we bought DVC he said: too bad I'll never get to stay there. So we are keeping the 2 bedroom much to his shock. Now for the next 5 nights, we'll see. They've got 58 days to decide.

Ah but all that lovely space! You will love that!

I looked into a non DCL Mexico cruise and what you said is true. It was cheaper to book inside and verandah rooms and forgo the suite. Plus we'd get way more room. However it still wasn't the $200 per person cruise I hear everyone talking about. I think some local *friends* are churching up how cheap they are cruising for. Little liars. I'm glad your honey is on board. You were smart to butter him up with a masculine Alaska cruise first.

It couldn't have worked out better. The anti cruisers koolaid! Yeah, I hear about rates like that too and it's like ok...inside stateroom in the bowels of the ship for a short cruise with crappy dates. No thanks.
DCL is pricey but it was worth it. DH still isn't majorly into cruises but is now on the "only on a DCL ship" bandwagon and is open to most itineraries go figure. Then again, the look on Kendall's face when we told her about it pretty much sold him for life I think.

Very cool! I've only been to the VWL once in 2007 to meet friends. Love the lobby. Reminds me a lot of the GCV.

I have thought about moving to an Epcot resort too. In fact the BWV are back on the table.

Keep me posted if you start a PTR. I don't want to crash the party but definitely want to meet up for a drink.

I am caught up on Alaska too. What a beautiful place.

It is a lot like GCV! One of my favorite pool bars too and it's a great pool. When we stayed at the cabins the pool was being redone so we had use of the WL pool and had a lot of fun there. The only drawback to me for WL is that it did seem far away from things, compared to staying at an Epcot resort and it is a lot like "home" so didn't necessarily feel as "away" as at other resorts. Staying at the YC and BCV really really spoiled me for life.

You wouldn't be crashing, I think it will be a pretty open PTR for anyone who is going as well as our smaller group.