My DSis won trip for 4 to SW-Who should she take?

[Dizneydaz]

Well, me of course!

My Dsis54 just came in a few minutes ago to saw she got a call from Southwest and she won a Southwest vacation for 4 to Sea World! She entered a contest on Facebook and acutally won it! (She didn't tell me about it or I would have entered too!)

We live about 100 miles from San Diego so of course she's not going to go to SW San Diego. And in choosing between SW in Texas and SW Orlando, there's no choice-SW Orlando!

Funny thing is her 30th anniversary was yesterday and to celebrate it she and her DH went to WDW this May. This was her 2nd trip and his first. And now on the day after her anniversary she wins a trip for 4 to SW. Includes a 2 nite hotel stay, 4 RT flights, and dining. (she's waiting on the email for specifics). The went to SW for a few hours while there since it was inc. in their tickets to Discovery Cove (which they went to on my recommendation and loved!)

So here's my case as to why she should take me...
Her DH liked WDW but I don't know if he would want to go back again so soon (let's hope!)
I let them use my fridge at POP.
I let them inc. their PP pictures on my PP CD without paying anything (I know, aren't I nice )
I gave them all my wisdom so they could have a really nice trip!
I really, really, really, love WDW!

She does have a DD28 who lives in KS and travels a lot for school (She's getting her PhD in Geology). She may want to come along as well (especially if mommy is paying) Which is fine since I love my niece and miss her.

So that may leave her with 2 extra tickets and a possible 4-5 others to invite along (if DH doesn't go). There's me , my DD11, my DM71 (who my DSis works with and who lives with me), my DSis50 (who has a full time job) and her DS2.5 who the 3 of us (DM, DSis54, and I) watch M-F, 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. every week.

If my younger sister goes then the 2-1/2 year old would have to go as well. (I'm not staying home and babysitting!) Unlike my DD who was really good on her frist trip to WDW at 2-3/4 yrs., I don't think my nephew would do as well. He's a handful, nowhere near being potty trained yet (my DD mostly was except for the scary WDW toilets!), and he throws tantrums (my DD never did). So I think that leaves my Dsis50 and her DS2.5 out. Then since my Dsis54 will be going and my DSis50 will be working, that leaves my DM and myself to watch little 2.5. So my DM and I both can't go. My DM can stay home and watch him while DD11 and I go-makes sense, right?

Actually what would work out really well is if my DM, Dsis50, and her DS2.5 go on a separate vacation (they like driving vacations) while the rest of us go to Orlando. Sounds good, right?

Oh, well, I hope I get to go, but who knows? If my sister's DH goes then it would be a little akward to share a room with them, wouldn't it?

Congrats to my Dsis! (Why couldn't I have won?-oh yeah, I didn't enter!) Best thing I ever won thru Enterprise was a portable DVD player on an instant win game. Pretty cool.

Oh, and I could upgrade my DLR AP to a Premiere AP for about $250 and be able to go to WDW unlimited times! I would upgrade DD's as well.

And before you post, I know I keep talking about going to WDW instead of SW but while we would obviously go to SW we would just as obviously go to WDW too!

 

[Lewisc]

I think you sisters husband should go. If you sister is nice enough to include you consider paying for your own room. Free airfare,meals and admission should be more then enough.

I don't know schedules and availability. JMO but she should take her husband, daugher and mother. She needs to find out if all 4 guests have tto fly from the same airport/same flights.

 

[Dizneydaz]

They do all have to fly on the same itinerary so yes, same airport. Won't work for DD out of KS so she would either have to fly from KS to CA and then join them from CA to FLR. I just was talking to my DSis earlier (I see my DSis almost every day, we are very close) and it would probably make more sense for her DD to fly from KS to FL and join them there. That would also free up another plane ticket.

She got the info from SW and it looks like it inc. 2 rooms so that is good. If my DSis does decide to let me go I will definitely make it worth her while. As mentioned above, we are a very close family. I see both my DSis almost every day and my DM and I live together. Can't get much closer than that. When my DNeice was a DLR CM we would pay her way to WDW inc airfare, room, and food and she got us in the parks. A win-win for all.

Personally, I don't think my DM71 will want to vacation with my DSis DH. She can only take him in small doses.

 

[kathy884]

Her choice all the way. What a great trip though! I love SeaWorld and have done mini get-a-ways there. It's my very favorite park in Orlando and DS's favorite too. We love it -- even more than Disney which we really like too. I've on occasion (especially if it's someplace DH isn't interested in done a mini trip with DS and my brother an one of his children - really fun). Sounds like you and your sister are really close.


I don't know about her family's tax bracket (or financial circumstances for her), though, but for us we have to consider our marginal tax bracket and the additional taxes we'll pay for any trip or prize we win. If she does invite you, it would be really nice I think if you can afford it to offer to pay the taxes on the winning trip for her if she has a tax liability related to this trip.

I know DS for example is signing up daily in a drawing for a possible trip to Ireland to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Titanic for two that includes air, hotel, transfers, specail events and most meals for 10 days (This would be a dream trip for him and something that is more expensive than we would ever do with our typical annual vacation budget, so would be really cool to win). The retail value of the trip pp is $6500 pp for to total value of $13,000 for two. We are in the 28 % marginal tax bracket and trip would involve some personal expenses a few meals, touring on a few occasions when you have free time. Although unlikely we would win, before I even let him start signing up in the drawing etc. I made sure to set some monies aside that we could use for expenses and taxes just in case: $1000 in expenses and 13,000 * .28 = $3640. So basically to be able to accept a freebie once in a lifetime trip, I need to have $4640 budgeted. Many people can't accept freebie prizes, etc. that can't be sold and aren't transerable because of the tax implications.