Sarahsmom85
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2000
- Messages
- 437
Cast of characters
Linda (51)-- me planner and budgeteer, I love shopping for bargains and finding ways to save. First trip 1985 last Dec 2000
Martin (55) -- electric wheelchair user. Has to sit and wait a lot. Referred to as Poor Martin, First trip 1985 last trip 1995
Sarah (18) -- college student in love with Matty, apple of her mom's eye. Been several times last trip Dec 2000
Matty (18) -- college student in love with Sarah, he's a keeper. Been once for a soccer tournment sometime in 2000 doesn't remember doing much.
Our 1st trip was back in 1985 when I won a raffle for $5000 and took my whole family to Disney. Eleven people in total. For 7 days with air and 3 car rentals. All food, and park tickets(there was only 2 parks then) and we went to Seaworld and Bush Gardens. All for under $5000.
Our last trip, Poor Martin was in the hospital. He was pretty sick but recovering. Since he was in good hands and I needed a break, Sarah and I along with my brother Richard took off to Disney for a few days. Don't feel too bad for Poor Martin, his happy place is Vegas and I told him when he recovered I'd take him there. Which I did.
After Sarah abandoned her mother and went off to college (a whole10 to 15 minutes away), I made plans to go to Las Vegas in October both as promise to Martin and a way of not missing Sarah so much. On return from Vegas our spending money was hardly touched. We did good. Real Good. We started with $2000 came home with a little over $1600. So I decided another vacation was in order. I was thinking on the line of a cruise. Well, my little darling said "Mom during spring break why don't we go to Disney?" I started looking over the options. Little did I know my $1600 would be eaten up with van rental alone. The more I looked, the more I knew 7 days during spring break would not be enough time. I though that since college is over before school lets out that if we leave as soon as college was finished we would beat the crowds. I checked the Internet and found a Villa rental at Lindsfield for two weeks, airfare on Southwest nonstop and rental of a wheelchair van. I couldn't get early flight on the Saturday so we booked a Friday flight. I was able to get a night at the holiday inn DTD off hotwire for $39. From the Dis board I found out about Fun in the Sun tickets which was just what we needed. I purchased Universal tickets using MasterCard offer of 5 day buy 4 get one free. I used the Clearchannel Gift certificates Motown and Hardrock for food. Seaworld tickets we used the Pepsi offer for reg price tickets but they give you lunch and a 20oz Pepsi. I only got 3 of these because Martin is 1/2 price at the gate. I visited the IbiduSA.com site and got a lot of offers there. I ordered the Entertainment Book thinking since we have a van and are staying off site we would use it a lot. Wrong didn't use one coupon. It will be going on ebay with a bunch of other left overs. A friend lent me her AP to use for free parking.
I did a lot of redeeming on survey site and other computer offers to help cut the cost of the trip. I had $75 for Rainforest, $50 Olive Garden, 2 $5 gas cards (what a joke with gas prices) Krispy kreme donuts for $10 and I went to there website and if you join they will send you an email coupon for a free dozen donuts. I had McDonalds Gift certificates too.
Matty could not get the full two weeks off work so he planned on coming on Monday and leaving two days early.
Things are looking good for the trip.
First bump came when back in January I gave the Van rental my debit card numbers for them hold a $100 deposit. Well, one month before our trip I go to take money out of the bank and there is like very little money in there. I start to panic. I check my account on line to find out the Van company took the whole van rental out of my account. I was really upset. I had since gotten a no interest charge card that I was planning to put the van on. They never told me they where taking the money out of the account. They also charged me the wrong amount. When I called them I told them how they had just depleted me of all my ready cash and that I would have like a call from them telling me they where going to charge that amount of money to my account. I only gave them that card for the deposit. Well, the best they could do was credit me the $140 difference in the wrong price they charged. I also found out for the first time that they charge a percentage for airport fee. What a racket. We paid $128 just to have them pick us up at the airport. This fee going to the airport or so they say. This is not a fee they charge us, its the airport. The only thing I can say is we did enjoy having the van. Martin was able to drive right in and out 1,2,3. We could have stayed on site and saved the van rental but having the villa was best for us. We had 3 bedrooms, kitchen, 2 baths, livingroom and dining rooms we never used, and a family area that we used a lot and our own private pool. It was so much nicer than being stuffed into one room, especially when you have a wheelchair and two 18 yrs olds.
The week before we left a lot of little things happened all fixable but just pains in the butt. I told eveyone I though I was jinxed. My back went out. I broke a tooth, My van at home sprung a gas leak. Sarah moved home and her stuff was piled sky high. Her hamster got loose. My garden hose faucet broke and I no clue how it will get fixed. The hood release on the van also broke so we cannot open the hood. I got my mom a scooter holder for the car on ebay and she lost the screws that hold it together. I went to the hardware store and got new screws that don't work right and the holder scraps on the road. Oh well take it off and I will deal with it when I come home. Another little tidbit my mom is 79 she calls me atleast once a week because she can't get the channels on her TV. I have had her write it down but I still have to tell her, push the TV button, then channel 3 then the cable button and you will get your channels back. Her new one now is she has the writing on the TV and she can't get it off. Its tough getting old. All this fun stuff is going one and we haven't even left yet.
I have packed 20 lb. of information and planning guides into my suitcase and all was wiped out of my head the minute we touched down. I hate to say this but I forgot to look for even one hidden Mickey, looked for but didn't find Devine. Never got to pull the rope by Indiana Jones because we never got to see Indiana Jones.
On to the first day.
Linda (51)-- me planner and budgeteer, I love shopping for bargains and finding ways to save. First trip 1985 last Dec 2000
Martin (55) -- electric wheelchair user. Has to sit and wait a lot. Referred to as Poor Martin, First trip 1985 last trip 1995
Sarah (18) -- college student in love with Matty, apple of her mom's eye. Been several times last trip Dec 2000
Matty (18) -- college student in love with Sarah, he's a keeper. Been once for a soccer tournment sometime in 2000 doesn't remember doing much.
Our 1st trip was back in 1985 when I won a raffle for $5000 and took my whole family to Disney. Eleven people in total. For 7 days with air and 3 car rentals. All food, and park tickets(there was only 2 parks then) and we went to Seaworld and Bush Gardens. All for under $5000.
Our last trip, Poor Martin was in the hospital. He was pretty sick but recovering. Since he was in good hands and I needed a break, Sarah and I along with my brother Richard took off to Disney for a few days. Don't feel too bad for Poor Martin, his happy place is Vegas and I told him when he recovered I'd take him there. Which I did.
After Sarah abandoned her mother and went off to college (a whole10 to 15 minutes away), I made plans to go to Las Vegas in October both as promise to Martin and a way of not missing Sarah so much. On return from Vegas our spending money was hardly touched. We did good. Real Good. We started with $2000 came home with a little over $1600. So I decided another vacation was in order. I was thinking on the line of a cruise. Well, my little darling said "Mom during spring break why don't we go to Disney?" I started looking over the options. Little did I know my $1600 would be eaten up with van rental alone. The more I looked, the more I knew 7 days during spring break would not be enough time. I though that since college is over before school lets out that if we leave as soon as college was finished we would beat the crowds. I checked the Internet and found a Villa rental at Lindsfield for two weeks, airfare on Southwest nonstop and rental of a wheelchair van. I couldn't get early flight on the Saturday so we booked a Friday flight. I was able to get a night at the holiday inn DTD off hotwire for $39. From the Dis board I found out about Fun in the Sun tickets which was just what we needed. I purchased Universal tickets using MasterCard offer of 5 day buy 4 get one free. I used the Clearchannel Gift certificates Motown and Hardrock for food. Seaworld tickets we used the Pepsi offer for reg price tickets but they give you lunch and a 20oz Pepsi. I only got 3 of these because Martin is 1/2 price at the gate. I visited the IbiduSA.com site and got a lot of offers there. I ordered the Entertainment Book thinking since we have a van and are staying off site we would use it a lot. Wrong didn't use one coupon. It will be going on ebay with a bunch of other left overs. A friend lent me her AP to use for free parking.
I did a lot of redeeming on survey site and other computer offers to help cut the cost of the trip. I had $75 for Rainforest, $50 Olive Garden, 2 $5 gas cards (what a joke with gas prices) Krispy kreme donuts for $10 and I went to there website and if you join they will send you an email coupon for a free dozen donuts. I had McDonalds Gift certificates too.
Matty could not get the full two weeks off work so he planned on coming on Monday and leaving two days early.
Things are looking good for the trip.
First bump came when back in January I gave the Van rental my debit card numbers for them hold a $100 deposit. Well, one month before our trip I go to take money out of the bank and there is like very little money in there. I start to panic. I check my account on line to find out the Van company took the whole van rental out of my account. I was really upset. I had since gotten a no interest charge card that I was planning to put the van on. They never told me they where taking the money out of the account. They also charged me the wrong amount. When I called them I told them how they had just depleted me of all my ready cash and that I would have like a call from them telling me they where going to charge that amount of money to my account. I only gave them that card for the deposit. Well, the best they could do was credit me the $140 difference in the wrong price they charged. I also found out for the first time that they charge a percentage for airport fee. What a racket. We paid $128 just to have them pick us up at the airport. This fee going to the airport or so they say. This is not a fee they charge us, its the airport. The only thing I can say is we did enjoy having the van. Martin was able to drive right in and out 1,2,3. We could have stayed on site and saved the van rental but having the villa was best for us. We had 3 bedrooms, kitchen, 2 baths, livingroom and dining rooms we never used, and a family area that we used a lot and our own private pool. It was so much nicer than being stuffed into one room, especially when you have a wheelchair and two 18 yrs olds.
The week before we left a lot of little things happened all fixable but just pains in the butt. I told eveyone I though I was jinxed. My back went out. I broke a tooth, My van at home sprung a gas leak. Sarah moved home and her stuff was piled sky high. Her hamster got loose. My garden hose faucet broke and I no clue how it will get fixed. The hood release on the van also broke so we cannot open the hood. I got my mom a scooter holder for the car on ebay and she lost the screws that hold it together. I went to the hardware store and got new screws that don't work right and the holder scraps on the road. Oh well take it off and I will deal with it when I come home. Another little tidbit my mom is 79 she calls me atleast once a week because she can't get the channels on her TV. I have had her write it down but I still have to tell her, push the TV button, then channel 3 then the cable button and you will get your channels back. Her new one now is she has the writing on the TV and she can't get it off. Its tough getting old. All this fun stuff is going one and we haven't even left yet.
I have packed 20 lb. of information and planning guides into my suitcase and all was wiped out of my head the minute we touched down. I hate to say this but I forgot to look for even one hidden Mickey, looked for but didn't find Devine. Never got to pull the rope by Indiana Jones because we never got to see Indiana Jones.
On to the first day.
