Life’s too short...to never sleep in a treehouse! 8/27 TR is up! Link in siggie

[eandesmom]

Now that's something to write home about!

Kind of cool huh! I need to remember that particular feature tonight. The pool part will be a big deal to Kendall, I don't know that Taylor will care as much about the hopping but he'll love the underwater music aspect. She will love the idea of hopping.

I am only up to page 12...sorry I am such a slow reader.

Glad you got the YC booking unless it changes again on later page. What a wild ride!! I definitely didn't see that coming.

Saw the posting about Jeff's father. I hope he's okay.

I have a friend who build his own plane at his basement. It's an ultra-light. He actually flew that thing from NJ to FL and back. Yikes!! One time, while he was flying the ultra-light, he had to make an emergency landing in the middle of the golf course because of the fog. Once the fog clears up, he took off again. The golfers were looking at him and his plane like what the heck.

No worries. I babble! And thanks for hanging in there

We will find out more on Friday about Jeff's dad, thanks for the thoughts!

We are still at the YC I didn't see that one coming either. Still a bit surreal actually.

I've never even read a TR or a PTR for the YC so it will be an adventure. A few BC ones so I'm not entirely shooting in the dark but it's funny, I seem to read a lot about trips at certain resorts and not about others. YC does fall more into the "unknown" category. Like, for example, I've never read a TR for a single monorail hotel! Lots of talk about them but no actual TR's. One PTR for BLT that I'm reading but that's it! My cousin stayed at the Poly but she hasn't said much about it

An ultra-light. WOW! Jeff loves those, to look at, to watch, and looked at them. They make me a bit nervous. SO pretty though! He went through a phase of doing a lot of gliding, they kind of remind me of that. We saw one when we we taking off for our day trip.

His is a light sport. Which is still pretty darn tiny!

I can completely see landing one on a golf course. Did he have to pay greens fees?

 

[eandesmom]

Wow!! I'm so behind.....again.

Okay, I have to admit...my head is spinning a little. Let me try and get this straight. The Treehouses are out? Well, there's always next time right?--and as you said too much togetherness may not be such a good thing. Besides the Yacht Club. sounds wonderful.--and now Nick is out? Well, the boys didn't really know it was an option anyway, right? I know my boys would love staying at Nick, but....honestly, I'm not too impressed. I don't know why? It sounds like you are very happy with your current plans and Yay!! for 10 days!!!! We are working on 8 for our next trip, which is the longest we have ever stayed. I'm very excited....but now I'm hoping for a discount or code to make it a reality, otherwise it may just be 5 or 6 again.

Yeah, my head was spinning too!

Who would have thought, 11 months out that things would be gone?

Of course once we changed our dates we actually could have gotten the tree house but by then were too much in with the idea of the YC. NO turning back.

I think a treehouse is a state of mind and I'm going to focus on that. Besides I KNOW we will sleep in a treehouse one of these days. It's a perfect size for 6. It's just not really a Sandie kind of place once I took a hard look and was honest with myself. A very Jeff and Cynthia and kids kind of place but Paul and Sandie? No.

I don't think any adult is excited about staying at Nick. Other than it might make their kids happy!

An Epcot resort and walking to almost everything, SO exciting! I think it will really feel like a totally different trip by being at the YC, much more so than THV.

8 nights is what I'd originally been hoping for as well but once we factored in park time on the dark side and the fact that the newbies will need some down time, somehow I have conned Jeff into 10. It's kind of the best of both worlds really, a full 7 nights with Sandie but a short needed family trip before that. We should be able to go into the grand gathering very relaxed!

Our last trip which technically was 7 nights was only 6 park days and when you try to have downtime on top of that, well the parks got shorted and really so did the pool! I hope we can keep it at 10, and give the kids LOTS of pool time. It is truly amazing how much more relaxing a longer trip is. Hopefully it will help make up for the August heat!

I'm excited you are planning your next trip it really helps stave of or get rid of any PDD.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

THV looks perfect for 6 or 7. Once you get into the 9/10 category it is a bit tight, as are most options when you are that large unless you rent a house offsite. Which, while practical just isn't the same! Of course the THS is a lot more affordable if you squish 9 in there but if you've got 10 and would fit, that is wee ones and yeah...tight quarters! That is similar to what my parents ended up doing when we did our huge trip of 20 back in '04 although we ended up with 2 houses.

You will definitely have more privacy and better sleeping with the 2b and studio. When are you trying to book for? deals out of Seattle are quite good flight wise but we won't be looking at these flights till after the 1st of the year at the earliest and not booking them till probably April or so I think.

Airfare roulette is scary!

I'm trying to get to San Antonio right after Christmas. Our connections in Southern Oregon are bad. I was actually looking at Medford - Phoenix on Allegiant then Phoenix to SAT the next day on SW. Thanks for the tip - maybe I'll look at SEA

 

[eandesmom]

I'm trying to get to San Antonio right after Christmas. Our connections in Southern Oregon are bad. I was actually looking at Medford - Phoenix on Allegiant then Phoenix to SAT the next day on SW. Thanks for the tip - maybe I'll look at SEA

Oh yikes, Medford. I don't think you'll find anything decent to San Antonio in Seattle, there is only one direct flight to Dallas, everything is else is miserable connections. I'd imagine San Antionio is as much the problem as getting out of Medford. PDX probably has about the same options SEA would I'd think.

Good luck!

 

[Happydog]

You know, the trip is SO far away none of this has been stressful. A bit surprising mind you with rooms being gone and then realizing we actually are locked into a fairly narrow window but..stressful? No.

Fun in a twisted over planning kind of way. Sad huh.

I can't wait to try Sanaa!

It IS fun, I agree!!! So I say SAD in a twisted over planning kind of way that all of us find fun!

I want to finish my TR so I can go back to planning for December!!!

 

[Happydog]

HEY! Your latest plans sound just perfect! Great choices, and finally some direction, right?!! GREAT!

This is going to be a wonderful trip! I am sure you are excited!!!

 

[eandesmom]

It IS fun, I agree!!! So I say SAD in a twisted over planning kind of way that all of us find fun!

I want to finish my TR so I can go back to planning for December!!!

So so true! I was looking at the cake threads today lol!

But don't rush your TR too much, it's so much fun to read!

HEY! Your latest plans sound just perfect! Great choices, and finally some direction, right?!! GREAT!

This is going to be a wonderful trip! I am sure you are excited!!!

Yes! Direction is good. Kendall weighed in tonight on her choices...Taylor tomorrow. Jeff weighed in too We'll book it Sat am!

 

[All7OfUs]

Glad the kids and Jeff are expressing their wants. Helps with that direction.

So, you're booking Saturday?? Did you decide?

 

[eandesmom]

Glad the kids and Jeff are expressing their wants. Helps with that direction.
So, you're booking Saturday?? Did you decide?

Taylor gets to weigh in tomorrow, the E's still know nothing about it. So pending T's wishes that's what we will go with. I as kind of surprised to hear Jeff weigh in...so much for him wanting Kendall and Taylor to pick



It's good though, he really didn't get much say on the Yacht Club.

 

[MEK]

It's funny. On paper PBH is a lot more expensive but their standard room is quite a bit bigger (450) and includes a garden view. Which neither RP or HRH do. So if you paid to upgrade at the others to the same view, the prices aren't all that different but with smaller rooms (RP 335/ HRH 375). A pool view at HRH would be more than the standard at PBH.

That is a nice size for a room. I didn't realize the rooms were that big. Looks like someone did their homework!

They are all really really pretty! Loews is a quality operation.

Agreed!

Right now my TA got the same rates as AAA came up with except for PBH and it wasn't a huge difference on that one. So we will see what they pick but we will probably go for the standard rooms and hope for an upgrade

That sounds great. I'm curious to see what they pick. My vote is still for HRH.

.
I agree about Nick...they've just brainwashed the E's. I feel mildly bad about it. Not really.

I'm predicting HRH but...I've been wrong before! I mean when we quiz all the kids about which WDW resort they'd like to try (and of course they can only evaluate the one's they've seen) the Poly NEVER makes the list. So given that, I'll be surprised if it's RP

I just like the idea of the underwater music at the HRH pool. Doesn't matter though because apparently you can POOL HOP!

I predict HRH. I really want to see pics. Underwater music? Cool! I also didn't know you could pool hop. That is very cool. RP is in a completely opposite direction, so pool hopping from there would be more of an ordeal. But I can definately see hopping between the other two.

OK - this conversation is making me want to go to universal. I really want to do the simpson's ride!

We loved IoA in '04. We must have ridden dueling dragons 10 times that day. I can't wait to see it as part of WWoHP! No guarantees that the express lines will exist for those but I hope so since that one is a refurb.

LOVE the dueling dragons, especially front row. So fun! I probably can't do it ten times in a row thanks to the "coaster" headaches, but I can see trying. I love arguing about which one is more fun - fire or ice!

 

[eandesmom]

That is a nice size for a room. I didn't realize the rooms were that big. Looks like someone did their homework!

That sounds great. I'm curious to see what they pick. My vote is still for HRH.

I predict HRH. I really want to see pics. Underwater music? Cool! I also didn't know you could pool hop. That is very cool. RP is in a completely opposite direction, so pool hopping from there would be more of an ordeal. But I can definitely see hopping between the other two.

OK - this conversation is making me want to go to universal. I really want to do the Simpson's ride!

LOVE the dueling dragons, especially front row. So fun! I probably can't do it ten times in a row thanks to the "coaster" headaches, but I can see trying. I love arguing about which one is more fun - fire or ice!

I'm an ice fan. We will see if that holds true (and what the names are now!)

I've never been on the Simpson ride, that will be a riot! Actually there are a LOT of rides I've never been on over there so it's really going to be a very new experience for all of us, the E's don't remember it really at all.

Kendall weighed in last night, I think she was more concerned with how many rooms and beds we had and who was sleeping where. She did make her picks though, pretty easily, very definite opinions on one of them!

We have gotten them used to condos and she's definitely getting to the age where she wants her own space, which is understandable. I think she was quite pleased and surprised with the answers she got!

So we'll see how you do on your prediction tomorrow!

That is very very good to know that RP is not as close.

I should be doing work instead of DISing right now but I think both Jeff and I are stalling for time until we hear the results from his dad's appointment. It's going to be a long afternoon. All the kids have an in-service day so we hit Cloudy with Meatballs in 3D and went out to lunch so ate up the first part of the day well but now it's a waiting game...

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

Wow-you have been a busy girl in the last several days haven't you...

Are you still with the Loew's 3/ Yacht Club 7 nights plan...
I think that sounds pretty good...


We just joined Cub Scouts last weekend- so I think we're going to be trying to move some of that popcorn too...

How was Cloudy w a s of m anyway?

 

[eandesmom]

Wow-you have been a busy girl in the last several days haven't you...

Keeps me out of trouble. Or in trouble depending on the point of view!

Are you still with the Loew's 3/ Yacht Club 7 nights plan...
I think that sounds pretty good...


We just joined Cub Scouts last weekend- so I think we're going to be trying to move some of that popcorn too...

How was Cloudy w a s of m anyway?

We are still on the 3/7 plan....Loews resort to be finalized tonight Very excited about the plan.

I predict that David will scouts, it is a very good fit for Eric and has been a wonderful experience.

Cloudy was good! I'm glad we saw it in 3D. Very cute movie. It was funny, I was starving before it, about half way through I totally lost my appetite. Jeff had the same reaction.

Fortunately we recovered in time to go out to lunch.

 

[GreatBiscuit]

Well I'm finally all caught up. Holy cow that was some wild planning going on! (Oh and for the record, I for one don't quetion Mama Melrose a bit. We loved the place.) As to all the options before you, all I can say is good luck! I hope you father in law is doing well. He'll be in my prayers.

 

[eandesmom]

Well I'm finally all caught up. Holy cow that was some wild planning going on! (Oh and for the record, I for one don't quetion Mama Melrose a bit. We loved the place.) As to all the options before you, all I can say is good luck! I hope you father in law is doing well. He'll be in my prayers.

Well you know, your review is one of the main reasons it's on the list! It really made me rethink it.

Jeff wanted it last time and I was swayed by the poor reviews as well as the fact that I couldn't get a Fantasmic ressie. So hopefully with 180 days notice, I'll have better luck!



Thanks for the prayers, they are much appreciated.

 

[All7OfUs]

Well, it's Saturday night here my time, Saturday AM for you. Maybe I missed it, but did you hear about the appt.? Standing with you, GB, and many, many others in prayer for those results!

Did you finalize your ressie?? How'd that go?

 

[eandesmom]

Well, it's Saturday night here my time, Saturday AM for you. Maybe I missed it, but did you hear about the appt.? Standing with you, GB, and many, many others in prayer for those results!

Did you finalize your ressie?? How'd that go?

Good morning! My time update up next....

the prayers are so appreciated!

 

[eandesmom]

First, some non trip updates…

I have no “real” news on my FIL. Arrgh!

They rescheduled his appointment for Monday. All we know at this point is that it is not TB, some kind of very bad fever (that I don’t recall the name for) or something else horrible. Apparently if it had been one of those 3, we would have heard by now, I’m guessing as they are things that might be contagious. Which leaves a whole host of things. We are all a little frustrated with having to wait 3 more days. He played a round of golf yesterday instead, which is good and is the first attempt he’s made since being so sick but it wiped him out so much he went straight to bed. The power of prayer got him back on the course which is a big deal to him so I have faith they are helping!

Continued prayers are appreciated!

In other non trip related news Jeff and I are officially booked for a date weekend trip the Sat/Sun after Thanksgiving. Whoo hoo! It’s been since May. We are extremely excited. And thanks to lisalonglash, we will be trying a new restaurant for our official anniversary dinner and it looks super fabby!

Even if we never eat at LeCellier we will be able to say we've eaten at a real Canadian Steakhouse!

On to

The BFP_YC_v0.7

The Loews Universal Resort votes are in! We have

Kendall: Royal Pacific first followed very closely by Hard Rock

Taylor: Hard Rock. Followed by Portofino.

Jeff: Hard Rock. Which surprised me, I thought he’d want Portofino. What do I know!

Me: Ok, I didn’t really vote but I mentally had a tie between RP and HRH. I really like them both for different reasons. I love the look for Portofino…if it was just Jeff and I. Perhaps because it really reminds me of our honeymoon Italy trip. I’ve actually never been to Portofino itself but it reminds me of Cinque Terre. At any rate it is too sedate for the kids and we’ve already got sedate at the YC! I know I’ll be thrilled with any of them. Maybe not as thrilled as if it were a 3 bedroom suite and Jeff and I had our own room but hey, that’s not going to happen!

Kendall, bless her heart, is the only one who asked me what I liked the best. I have to admit I'm always very careful not to really say as I want her to pick what she likes, not just because she thinks she should pick what I like as I think she gets too much of that from her mom. I think it might frustrate her a little, she really does want to know, so I have to figure out a better way to balance fostering her feeling ok voicing her opinion with having a genuine interest in mine.

Hank and Melvin tried to vote but they are not supposed to be on the desk so they got in big fat trouble from Scrooge Mc Duck. Aka Jeff.

And the winner is….

The Hard Rock Hotel!



Mary Ellen wins a prize. She has teen boys though so I think she had an unfair advantage. I’m not sure what that prize is. I had been worried K would really want RP and T would really want HRH and it would be clear his wishes trumped hers but she was pretty torn between the 2. I bought the HR all access card to improve my chances of an upgrade, I can’t afford the pool view but really really want it! I did upgrade to the garden view, the idea of no view (which could happen at YC) bugged me given just how lovely those grounds are! Besides, I figure (and I could well be wrong!) our chances of an upgrade given that we are booked as a grand gathering, at the YC, are probably greater. We will see huh! I've requested a courtyard or quiet pool view at the YC.

Just hoping for a non parking lot view at the YC and a non-non view at HRH.

We are booked. And it is agreed.

One Girls room and One Boys room!
I’m looking forward to that part, as is Kendall, it will be fun to be just the 2 girls for 3 nights with NO BOYS! I love boys don’t get me wrong, but I am surrounded by them all the time. I get my OWN bed for three whole nights! Whoo hoo. 3 nights of not listening to Jeff yell at Eric to stop wiggling.

Actually I’m buying Jeff earplugs for the trip.

Now we just wait until 2010 for airfares and promo’s to get released. We’ve got a few milestones to keep us busy between now and August.

Now. Telling Jeff’s ex about the trip and our dates and then reiterating reiterating reiterating so she can’t accidentally forget or schedule something or heaven only knows what.

Kendall seemed pretty happy about the plan, got her cute quiet grin on and was clearly pleased we’d scheduled around ODP and HS tryouts. The poor thing I could see her immediately going there and we reassured her right away that we'd done our best to schedule around things and that while we knew we wouldn't know for usre until May/June that ODP was protected, as was HS tryouts and the main out of state tournament we suspect they will do. It's about all we can do and I could tell that eased her mind quite a bit. So did the reassurance that she will have her own bed the entire trip and we are planning a girls only dinner among other things. I tell you, I wouldn't be 13 again for all the tea in China.

Taylor was significantly more excited about it(the whole trip, not just HRH) than Kendall though she is not a demonstrative type and she did get her cute little smile which was very cool. He is all over it. He is not so sure about the Hulk though. He is excited to have a trip with his Grandma and Paul and Uncle Doug. It is really nice to see him age and appreciate being around others like this. Not that Kendall doesn't but...she's wrapped up in friends and begin 13. Tay was the same way at that age.

It was pretty cool though, we'd just put the E's in bed and T was just sitting on the couch playing his acoustic guitar, he's really started writing a lot of his own music and dang is it pretty! I could just listen to it all day. It was just very very fitting and fun.

Now. Keeping it a secret from the E’s. I need to figure out what/when we will tell them but K&T have it in the vault for now. We will see if it stays there. I should know in the next week or so if Sandie is coming out soon for a short visit and we’ll go from there.

I will have to tell them by thanksgiving because….you’ll just have to wait till the next update to find out!

Jan 2010.
When the US Resort packages “should” get released. Fingers crossed for something good. Right now the AAA rates are equal to what my TA found so I just went through her. There still could be later ones added so we will be keeping an eye out for quite some time I imagine.

Feb 13th.
ADR day!

I think

Also when Bing/Farecast will start predicting fares for me. I love Farecast. It took VERY good care of me the last trip. I am banking on it pulling through.

Now I’m not entirely clear on this so maybe you ADR experts can help me out here?

Bear in mind that last year ADR’s were only 45 days out and I booked mine at 42 so this is all new, I didn’t quite realize last year that it might be hard and got awfully lucky given that it was peak season. So here is my question. We are in Orlando starting on 8/12 but the YC ressie doesn’t start until 8/15. Non resort guests can book 180 days out too, right so I should be able to book starting on the 13th…not the 16th. Or am I way off base? The whole online thing is new to me too so that will be interesting. 13th is a Sat which would actually be a nice day to be booking them, versus a Tuesday but either way it will be darn early out here!

End of March.
When we hope Disney Visa will announce free dining and we can add it to the YC Ressie!

Flight booking is a little tricky. Ideally we would wait until Kendall gets her summer schedule for soccer but I don’t think we will be able to as that will be late May or even early June and that makes me a little nervous. We may try to get her ticket refundable but I’ll start thinking about that in Feb.

We will likely do the towncar with the grocery stop to get to HRH although I may pack some of the breakfast stuff. There is a transfer available, but the towncar is a much better deal!

It would be $126 for the HR arranged one way transfer which seems consistent with the Mears pricing.

It would be $199 for a 3 leg trip, MCO to HRH, HRH to YC and YC back to MCO with a free 30 minutes grocery stop.

Unfortunately you have to do the grocery stop on the arrival date and unless I rent a fridge at the HRH, no where to store it.

Needless to say, I did not book the HRH offered transfer with the ressie.

I think I’d actually rather do the grocery run in between HRH and the YC versus before as we won't have a fridge at the HRH. I could check my soft cooler though and carry on fruit and bagels. Only problem is the cream cheese...I don't think it would survive a 5 hour flight checked. ICK!

But if that's not an option..not sure. Finding out how much it is to rent a fridge at HRH.

We won't have that much food but still, I will need to keep milk, juice, soda and beer/wine cold. I can't really do cereal as neither room will have bowls!

So I think we will likely skip Garden Grocer this round, much as I loved NOT having to go to the grocery store on the last trip. With 10 nights I can spare 30 minutes lol. I don't know though, it’s easy to pack most of what we'd need at least for the HRH days but if it means a bag charge, it is potentially cheaper to get it delivered!

So is what you save on groceries more than difference between the bag charge and the delivery charge?

It may turn out that a 2 leg trip is cheaper and then stick with GG delivered to the YC. Who knows.

That’s the real question. One I will ponder. And it won't be pondered until we book flights as the airline bag fee will determine a lot! I hope for Alaska. One free bag! With 6 check-able bags and laundry at the YC if we need it...I can make that work.

Up next,

What happens when I have too much time on my hands...the binder begins!

 

[All7OfUs]

Well, I got through half of your update before the grinch said it's bedtime. I'll have to finish on Monday...

 

[creativeamanda]

You'll be able to book on the 13th but just for one day until you get to your Resort adr window.

Hope that helps.

I think the Hard Rock Hotel looks cool, btw.