Looking For Control Freaks & Worry Warts too........ Part 2

[Camster0307]

Jillian - Oh my! I just want to squish Badookie's face - he's soooo cute! God, I miss my kids being that young!

He looks like he's enjoying himself - how did he do? How was he with the characters and on the rides? (I get all excited talking to others about their Disney trips!) And - - on the new ticker. Have you officially booked? What are your dates and where are you staying?

Well, the temperature drop is starting today: 70 yesterday; 50s today. Ok, since it's going to be a rainy, washed out weekend, I broke down and bought season 3 of Lost. My DD and her friends are so into it now and really want to be caught up, so I happily obliged. Wasn't too bad - we had $35 in gift cards, so I only had to lay out $15 (yes, that's how I'm justifying it). So I'm going to be enjoying me some Sawyer and Jack action this weekend!

Happy Friday everybody! TTFN!!!!

 

[UsNew2Disney2008]

Good morning everyone! Rather non-eventful night here last night, so that was nice. I am feeling (dare I say it) somewhat better this morning so I'm hoping that the trend continues! Still ear pressure, but I didn't expect it to go away overnight. DS sounds so much better!

Lots of things to get done today, but I am done packing - well sort of - just need to swap out ALL OUR SHORTS now for pants, and pitch in some long sleeve t-shirts too. Well, on an upside, so long as we aren't freezing, I would much rather it be cooler than 90. I hate to roast. I figure if Cammie can live through Christmas, I can make it through a cold snap (for trivia, they expect to break the record lows set in 1950!)

Laura - sorry to hear about the delay in the house repairs. BUT - it is better to do it right than in a hurry.

Kara - Now you know how I felt with that big +4 on my WW ticket last week! I don't fear it will be that much better this week, but I will on vacation this Sat - so no weigh-in But I do agree the stress and a little extra comfort in a glass will do it to ya every time! How are things going there? I hope DD is feeling better today.

Debbie - Just sit back, and enjoy. YOU HAVE A TICKER - and it is a darn good vacation you have coming up too! Money is just money - yeah it is nice, but like Cammie said, at the end of the day, you can't take it with you.

Jillian - Badookie looks so cute! How did he like everything? It looks like you had fun!

Let's see, what is new, OH YEAH, my AK plan day is the rain day. Only 30% chance, and mostly morning showers they said so I am thinking of still trudging forward and hoping that it putters out quickly.

I MAY have to change my plans for Sat. That will be the only day it is warm enough for DS to really enjoy the pool (without me b*(&)ing that I want to get out. ) so I may have to modify all that to get some time in the pool for us. I expect MK will be even more crowded since the cold snap is coming in, so we may get there late, duck out earlier than planned or some combo of that.

I was looking over things last night. What do you think of the Astro ORbiter for DS? Some things I read make it sound like too much, some not so much (and the ones that say not so much are the same ones that says Star Tours would be okay). What do you think?

I'll be checking in today, but probably give it up this afternoon.

 

[UsNew2Disney2008]

Oh get this, DS is now modifying his request for his birthday.

AN ELEPHANT TRUNK.
He then added, "And Mommy, make sure it has teeth too!"

 

[karajeboo]

Good morning everyone! Rather non-eventful night here last night, so that was nice.

What do you think of the Astro ORbiter for DS?

Renee - First of all, the day before you leave for vacation it is GOOD to be non-eventful!!!! Second, astro orbiter is the same as Dumbo and Aladdin's Flying Carpets except that you start ou on an elevated platform so it's higher. But it basically goes up/down and around, and up/down and around, and up/down and around, and up/down and around. Get it?

We probably won't see much of you today, huh? You'll need to go beddie bye early tonight! Yeah! I'm so excited for you!!!!

Jillian - Oh my! I just want to squish Badookie's face - he's soooo cute! : TTFN!!!!

Ditto everything Cammie said!!!!! He's precious!!!! BTW Cammie, what is TTFN?

I do believe that it is Kara's plan to meet all of us at WDW at one time or another. That is why she will have to have the DVC.

Yup, EVERYONE! Come to Kara..... it's my secret plot!

Speaking of Plan DVC, I made a spreadsheet for DH and ranked all the resorts based on point values for various times of the year, maintenance charges, and per point sales price. It looks like in the very long run, AKL is the best bet, but it is the most expensive to buy up front. Vero Beach is by far the cheapest to buy up front, but because the maintenance is sooo much higher, it comes out dead last in the long haul. But guess who just rides along right smack in the middle - BWV!!!!

Help me out here, I based the points on 2 stays in 2008 (5/4-5/10 and 12/4-12/7 - total of 9 nights). At AKL (value), it would only cost us 104 pts!!! At AKL (standard) it would be 124 and savannah view would be 148. At BWV it would cost us 130, at VWL and BCV it would be 150.

We're looking at 150 points, but it's hard NOT to look at AKL when we could add another 2-3 day trip in there with point values like that!!! This is all so confusing, but I see that DH did look at my spreadsheet last night after I went to be!

Okay I think I missed something on LIVE365...

Not on Live, it was on Survivor - the ice cream scooper said it was like the "zookeeper bond" with Ozzie - Ozzie was the zookeeper and he was the monkey!

Jillian, do tell ALL! How did Badookie do on the attractions? Was he afraid of the dark, loud noises? Did he ride POTC? IASW? HM? My nephew will be about the same age when we go next month and my SIL doesn't think he can ride anything because he'll be afraid, so I'm just curious how your liitle one did. And did you do the afternoon break/nap thing? It looks like you ALL had a good time! Thank you so much for the pics! Feel free to post more - we love seeing them!!!!! Also, where did you stay? Did your plans work out? How crowded was it?

Okay! Okay! No more questions for Jillian!

It's been a rough week so I'll definitely be at drunk posting tonight, cause unlike Cammie, I have no life! At least not until we find a good babysitter down here! Besides, it's supposed to be nice tonight so I need to get DH back on the porch, with the double laptop thing going, and ply him full of alcohol again, turn on Live365 for us to hear, and talk DVC some more!

Talk to y'all later!

 

[Camster0307]

Renee - Don't know where you're checking the weather forecast for your vacation week, but I always like to check with the local Orlando station - feel they can be the most accurate. Here's one:

http://www.local6.com/wxmap/2242393/detail.html

It does stink, though, with all the planning we do and one rainy day throws it all out of whack! Just remember - Orlando weather is VERY unpredictable; so just because the forecast says rain, you still may not get any!

Keeping my fingers crossed for you!

 

[Camster0307]

Kara - As a certain infamous character from the land of Pooh would say:


Ta-Ta For Now!

 

[UsNew2Disney2008]

Renee - Don't know where you're checking the weather forecast for your vacation week, but I always like to check with the local Orlando station - feel they can be the most accurate. Here's one:

http://www.local6.com/wxmap/2242393/detail.html

It does stink, though, with all the planning we do and one rainy day throws it all out of whack! Just remember - Orlando weather is VERY unpredictable; so just because the forecast says rain, you still may not get any!

Keeping my fingers crossed for you!

Accuweather,
weather.com,
live new channel 6 - Orlando
News Channel 2 - Orlando.

I can be obsessive about stuff! I'm sure that is a complete shock to all of you! Yeah, so far weather.com is the most "optimistic" of the group. The local news stations are the ones that have been saying 70 as a high. Then again, Cammie - I don't live in the artic tundra like you up there! Off to run some errands.

OH - and Kara - thanks for the Astro Orbiter help.

 

[karajeboo]

NOOOOOO! Don't leave me!

I just called my sister to see if she and her hubby would want to meet DH and I in September! She's afraid it will be too crowded with free dining. Anyone?

 

[Camster0307]

Kara - I have heard it is more crowded than usual during free dining, but I'm sure it's nothing like a holiday week crowd level. I do think getting those TS ADRs are vital though - that will be the tough thing!

Re: DVC. Again, I'll add my two cents. Since BW runs in the middle for purchase and maintenance cost, buy there - doesn't mean you have to book there every trip. I know people who NEVER stay at their home resort. In my experience, the Epcot resorts seem to sell out quicker at the 11 month window - I believe I've heard it's because they are the smallest of the DVC resorts. There always seems to be availability at AKL,VWL, OKW, and SSR - because they are bigger and have more rooms to offer. So if you own at BW, you can book at AKL at 7 months, therefore saving pts., which you could potentially carry-over to your next use year and then therefore use the additional pts. for a longer stay at your home resort. Get what I'm saying?

 

[soontobewed07]

Jillian - Oh my! I just want to squish Badookie's face - he's soooo cute! God, I miss my kids being that young!

He looks like he's enjoying himself - how did he do? How was he with the characters and on the rides? (I get all excited talking to others about their Disney trips!) And - - on the new ticker. Have you officially booked? What are your dates and where are you staying?

Well, the temperature drop is starting today: 70 yesterday; 50s today. Ok, since it's going to be a rainy, washed out weekend, I broke down and bought season 3 of Lost. My DD and her friends are so into it now and really want to be caught up, so I happily obliged. Wasn't too bad - we had $35 in gift cards, so I only had to lay out $15 (yes, that's how I'm justifying it). So I'm going to be enjoying me some Sawyer and Jack action this weekend!

Happy Friday everybody! TTFN!!!!

By the way don't get me started on the weather I went from 80's to 40's to 70's back to 50's I am really starting to think about moving.DH is so ready to pack up and move he wants to live in FL. so badly.

We stayed at POP and hated it. We are use to Mods. I have stayed at ASMu when I was 16 and it seemed better. You can hear every toilet flush the food court was so crowded and we were 5 miles from everything.

As for the trip Badookie was great he went on everything. Haunted mansion and snow white with no compliants he actually fell asleep in snow white.Well we didn't get on much Peter Pan had broken down and when it was fixed fast pass was already for 6pm It was so Darn crowded we rode the "people movers" 4 times because we couldn't get on anything else. POTC was a 60 min wait and at one point 90 min. WTH? He loved IASW we went on it 3 x's . We Never made a full trip around EPCOT because of the rain but I did try a citron slush and it was amazing. MGM we basically walked around because there was nothing he was going to stay quiet on and we tried Fantasmic but he was so tired he just kept saying "NO NO"
We went back to the hotel everyday for cool down and a nap. It rained everyday we were there so we didn't get back to the parks until around 6pm. He loved the pool we stayed in it for an hour at a time and that's about it. We relaxed and took things at Badookie's pace knowing we are going back for Thanksgiving.

As for that we will be booking tonight. We are going to stay at POFQ and my Parents and DB and Dsis are going we are just trying to decide about the dates and crowds

 

[karajeboo]

Re: DVC. Again, I'll add my two cents. Since BW runs in the middle for purchase and maintenance cost, buy there - doesn't mean you have to book there every trip. I know people who NEVER stay at their home resort. In my experience, the Epcot resorts seem to sell out quicker at the 11 month window - I believe I've heard it's because they are the smallest of the DVC resorts. There always seems to be availability at AKL,VWL, OKW, and SSR - because they are bigger and have more rooms to offer. So if you own at BW, you can book at AKL at 7 months, therefore saving pts., which you could potentially carry-over to your next use year and then therefore use the additional pts. for a longer stay at your home resort. Get what I'm saying?

That TOTALLY makes sense!!! See? I just KNOW I'm destined to own at Boardwalk!!!!! I love it there! Thank you so much for your 2 cents!

By the way don't get me started on the weather I went from 80's to 40's to 70's back to 50's I am really starting to think about moving.DH is so ready to pack up and move he wants to live in FL. so badly.

We stayed at POP and hated it. We are use to Mods. I have stayed at ASMu when I was 16 and it seemed better. You can hear every toilet flush the food court was so crowded and we were 5 miles from everything.

As for the trip Badookie was great he went on everything. Haunted mansion and snow white with no compliants he actually fell asleep in snow white.Well we didn't get on much Peter Pan had broken down and when it was fixed fast pass was already for 6pm It was so Darn crowded we rode the "people movers" 4 times because we couldn't get on anything else. POTC was a 60 min wait and at one point 90 min. WTH? He loved IASW we went on it 3 x's . We Never made a full trip around EPCOT because of the rain but I did try a citron slush and it was amazing. MGM we basically walked around because there was nothing he was going to stay quiet on and we tried Fantasmic but he was so tired he just kept saying "NO NO"
We went back to the hotel everyday for cool down and a nap. It rained everyday we were there so we didn't get back to the parks until around 6pm. He loved the pool we stayed in it for an hour at a time and that's about it. We relaxed and took things at Badookie's pace knowing we are going back for Thanksgiving.

As for that we will be booking tonight. We are going to stay at POFQ and my Parents and DB and Dsis are going we are just trying to decide about the dates and crowds

Jillian - I'm sooooo sorry you had rain and crowds! That totally sucks! Also, I hate that you hated POP. We really enjoyed it when we went 2 years ago - don't know what we'll think next month though.

Thanks for the input on Badookie's trip - sounds like you still had a good time and made the best of it. That's the only way to do Disney!

 

[UsNew2Disney2008]

NOOOOOO! Don't leave me!

I just called my sister to see if she and her hubby would want to meet DH and I in September! She's afraid it will be too crowded with free dining. Anyone?

Cammie seems to know her stuff for someone who thinks she doesn't know anything! I think she gave you some good advice. As for Sept - well, I don't know. Personally, I would rather wait, pay for the food and it not be as hot. I think that promotion is geared to bring little ones in the park too - isn't it? Isn't that Magical Beginnings time? SO.. don't know if that would be a pro or a con for you, but I would consider it in my decision. Doesn't it rain more in Oct? I was thinking that was the start of hurricane season. That said we make two trips to the panhandle each year. The first is early May (missing that this year for Disney - so this trip had better be worth it! ) and in early Sept. 1000 times over, the Sept time is my absolute fav time to be outdoors all day. It seems like the weather is always really good. We went once in Oct and ended up with some rather coolish weather.

Well, at least I'm feeling better about not staying at the POP, but worse about not staying at CBR or POFQ. [/B]

It was so Darn crowded ... WTH?
great, even though I knew better, I was still holding out hope.

As for that we will be booking tonight. We are going to stay at POFQ and my Parents and DB and Dsis are going we are just trying to decide about the dates and crowds

Okay, going to check the weather one more time before I revamp the bags... wish me luck!

 

[soontobewed07]

the crowds should be a little bit better as spring break is over for alot of people.

Accu weather is still saying 70's and 80's I wouldn't change out all of your clothing just yet. We always go to the outlet and buy a new sweatshirt so that we don't have to bring one with us. We also combined our suitcase this year and packed DH's with things that would be tossed out while we were down there so we had an almost empty suitcase to fill with Disney treasures.

 

[karajeboo]

Renee - actually, hurricane seasons begins June 1st and runs through November. It seems to be the most active in August and September, and I just read that this year is expected to be more active than normal!!! Sweet! I moved about 30 miles or so from the coast (as the crow flies) - gotta love it!

Remember, even if it does dip down at night (which it is gonna do Sunday - Tuesday), it should still be nice during the day - even highs in the 60's will feel good if it's sunny. The sun is so much warmer here than it was even in SC I think! It's only saying it's 68 here right now, but I was just outside in the sun and it feels REALLY warm! Just layer, it might mean bringing a larger bag into the park with you each day to toss sweatshirts in as it gets warmer, but you'll still have a great time. And look at it this way - you probably won't need to change clothes during the day cause you won't be sweating!

 

[karajeboo]

Renee - I'm a huge fan of Accuweather, and you're looking at highs (not counting Saturday in the 80's@ ) of right around 70. That will be beautiful!!! And even though it will dip into the 40's at night, here's what I have learned about FL weather. It cools off very quickly in the evening. By 7pm it will start getting cool. But it also heats up very quickly during the day, so I predict that by 10 or 11am your sweatshirts will be off!

 

[Debbie6221]

How do you girls get so much in before I even wake up!

Good morning! DD is off of school today. It is warmer and windy today but I think the sun may stay out. I am going to try and make this my one stop at the computer until later tonight because I have gotten NOTHING done because of my DIS obsession! I love you guys too much I guess. My anxiety is up and I didn’t really know why until I went to check airfare and realized I had $219.00 in the palm of my hands and now I don’t think I will ever see it again. I WISH I NEVER SAW THE LOW FARES IF THEY WERE NOT MINE TO GET!!!! I can’t take the stress. To make it worse my Mom said she thought I WAS getting the airfare on Wednesday so she thought we got the $219.00 for everyone. Now I can add feeling guilty to the anxiety! Whatever!

Jillian...thank you so much for sharing your pix with us. Your DS is so darn cute and for some reason you look like I expected you to. Crazy, huh... must be our weird bond over the internet. We will look at more if you like!

Renee..I am glad today is better! Tomorrow will be magnificant! You lucky ducky!

I never really believe the weather until I'm there. It changes so EASILY. Good you will be prepared for it all!


Cammie....Lost is only a couple weeks away! Aren't you excited! Thanks to you I looked up the Samantha Brown to TIVO on Friday. I would have missed it!

Kara...I heard the crowds are lower. I bet the weekend would be more. I also have been in October and we have had a wonderful trip EVERY time so it is a risk that we picked September because I am afraid bad weather will ruin it! We have never tried September though.
Did you check out that calendar I posted where you see the peak weeks in WDW?

Hey....you guys all hurt my feelings!!! No one said anything about my lovely snow globe!

I decided I will hold off on sharing my ADRs for a while so you aren't sick of me! Also, I REFUSE to wish the time away until my trip because this is my FAVORITE TIME in life besides WDW! SUMMER!

I hope you guys all have a great day! Yell at me if you see here again before tonight!

 

[Debbie6221]

Why do I have the feeling I will be back here before tonight...................

Off to the shower....................

 

[Debbie6221]

A couple of threads I started or follow....
Magic Visa Code
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1780220
Airfare Rant
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1787170

I seriously need to get a timer for by the computer so I can show some self disipline. I said I would be off by 10AM!

 

[soontobewed07]

So I will not be around until late tonight as I am starting my gym routine tonight I WILL lose 50lbs by november!!!!! I am going to post a weight ticker and I need all of you to be my support.

 

[karajeboo]

Debbie - You crack me up! BTW - I loved your snow globe - you and that darn monorail!!!!

Don't forget, I work in front of a computer ALL day and we are VERY slow right now! So slow in fact that one of our sales people was just laid off. I feel pretty secure because I'm the only one that handles customer service, and my boss knows that I'll jump in and handle sales, too, if needed.

Feel free to post your ADRs - I love to see them! OK, France or Italy for one of our ADRs? And you'll get a kick out of this. I told DH that I booked us three nights in September at Yacht Club. He was totally cool with it! Then he started talking about waiting and going for a few days at Christmas instead with Ally cause I'm sure she'd love MVMCP. So he mentions doing a B&B in Savannah, GA (we're only 2 hrs from there). It's one of our favorite places to visit and we haven't been in 3 or 4 years now. So I was continuing to talk Disney and I told him the different resorts I was considering, BWI, AKL, Yacht Club, etc. I told him I settled on Yacht Club and he was pretty excited about that, too. Then I accidentally told him how much I got it for(doesn't matter that it's cheaper than October and it included the dining plan - if I told him $100 for a week he'd still freak!). When I say accidentally, I mean it just kinda slipped out in conversation. When I justified saying that we'd be spending around $300/night for a B&B in October in Savannah, he said, yeah, but we'd only stay 2 nights cause there's not as much to do as in Disney. How do men justify like that???? I don't need to change my res until early August so I think after being there next month, he'll be excited about just the two of us going in September.