November/December 2012?

[Royal Consort]

I agree. I am actually more excited about going to Sanaa. But the closer we get to information about BOG the closer we get to information about the other areas opening up in the FLE. That is what I am truly excited about.

My attitude at the moment is, "if it meets the hype then I will be pleasantly surprised; if not, I'm not emotionally invested in it".

 

[dabecs]

Hit the 4 month mark today!

 

[shushh]

sigh...we still have 5 months to go. Which is probably a good thing as I've been so disorganised this time around!

 

[dabecs]

sigh...we still have 5 months to go. Which is probably a good thing as I've been so disorganised this time around!

Having a lot to do will just make the time fly by - whether you want it to or not!

Having read your trip reports I would say you are a pretty organised traveller so I'm sure the preparations will go smoothly. I'm looking forward to following your trip - it sounds like a great one so far!

 

[Haperian]

Plannning a trip Nov 11 thru 18, 2012. 17th anniversary with wife, 2 daughters, grandson and grand daughter(,thier first time). Staying at riverside.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Plannning a trip Nov 11 thru 18, 2012. 17th anniversary with wife, 2 daughters, grandson and grand daughter(,thier first time). Staying at riverside.

Enjoy!

 

[diannesa]

We will be in LA from 31 Oct to 15 Nov and always purchase a Citypass through Universal Studios so we get 2 days Universal, 3 days Disney and 1 day Seaworld.

We have 4 kids and have taken them to Disney in LA once before (Dec 2010) and also to Disney in Orlando once (Feb 2009).

DH and I were in LA Disney in March 2012 without kids and I was also there on my own in April 2011. Oh and we went to LA Disney in 1996 (pre kids) and Tokyo Disney in 1998 haha!

So if anyone wants to know anything about LA or Disney with 4 kids please feel free to ask lol.

 

[dabecs]

Just saw on 'Lines' that Disney visa card holders are being offered free dining dates from Sep - Dec (not all dates in that period) with the rumour that the offer will go to the general public next week

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

OMGOMGOMG, I soooo sooo sooo hope free dining gets offered for my dates. Then I can be a bit more guilt free about all of the ADR's I've made

 

[dabecs]

Well the dates are up to December 13th so you would be eligible Ms Shuttergirl! I got an email from Mousavers this morning suggesting it will be released to the public on the 12th

 

[shushh]

Having a lot to do will just make the time fly by - whether you want it to or not!

Having read your trip reports I would say you are a pretty organised traveller so I'm sure the preparations will go smoothly. I'm looking forward to following your trip - it sounds like a great one so far!

Thank you for the kind words! We like to call ourselves organised but I fear others see as us as OCD!

Plannning a trip Nov 11 thru 18, 2012. 17th anniversary with wife, 2 daughters, grandson and grand daughter(,thier first time). Staying at riverside.

Sounds like a great trip! Travelling with the extended family is always that much more special

OMGOMGOMG, I soooo sooo sooo hope free dining gets offered for my dates. Then I can be a bit more guilt free about all of the ADR's I've made

I know how you feel! I'm not sure we would have eaten at half the places we went to in 2010 if not for free dining! Fingers crossed for you...but it sounds like the crossing will not be needed by most reports.

Well the dates are up to December 13th so you would be eligible Ms Shuttergirl! I got an email from Mousavers this morning suggesting it will be released to the public on the 12th

They've had free dining for December now every year since 2009...let's hope this continues for 2013 when we'll be there!

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

As Shushh well knows from my email whinging, I have been feeling completely out of control in terms of planning this holiday in December along with our European adventure in March 2013. As of Saturday we only had our international flights booked, 3/4 of accom and our ADR's in place .

Unfortunately I got sick late last week which has been a pain but in other ways it was a blessing in disguise. Because I work for myself I feel guilty when I take time to holiday plan when I should be working. Because I was feeling so sick I didn't have any qualms about not working so I could either lie on the couch moaning or sit at my computer and get some holiday stuff done. I decided to get some stuff done.

So I have now booked:-

• All of our internal flights which is a huge relief
• All accommodation is now booked
• P private car transfers from Toronto airport to Niagara falls and then from Niagara Falls to Buffalo airport
• Our private customised guided tour of the boroughs in NYC
• I have detailed list of breakfast options for Quebec and Boston now
• A list of great lunch and dinner options for all cities near our hotels and the places we will be visiting
• I have worked out that cabs are the cheapest and easiest airport transfer options for most of our cities
• Which tour we will take in Boston, Washington and Quebec

I am feeling much more in control and over the weekend I hope to start piecing together what we will do on what days.

Then I will be able to turn my full attentions to Europe March 2013. I have booked our London, Scotland and Paris accom, know where I want to book for Ireland. I have my dates fixed and need to book our international flights. Then it will be time to work out what we want to see and how we are going to do it.

Whew, who knew getting sick would be so fruitful. Actually I think Shushh gave me the idea that illness was a good excuse to get some planning done

 

[shushh]

Woohoo for you Ms Shuttergirl!!!

At least I now know why the whinging stopped...
Seriously, well done! Who wouldn't have thought that being sick could be such a blessing!

As for me, I've been stuck trying to decide between 2 houses in Provence to stay at for a week. Maybe I need to get sick again...

As Shushh well knows from my email whinging, I have been feeling completely out of control in terms of planning this holiday in December along with our European adventure in March 2013. As of Saturday we only had our international flights booked, 3/4 of accom and our ADR's in place .

Unfortunately I got sick late last week which has been a pain but in other ways it was a blessing in disguise. Because I work for myself I feel guilty when I take time to holiday plan when I should be working. Because I was feeling so sick I didn't have any qualms about not working so I could either lie on the couch moaning or sit at my computer and get some holiday stuff done. I decided to get some stuff done.

So I have now booked:-

• All of our internal flights which is a huge relief
• All accommodation is now booked
• P private car transfers from Toronto airport to Niagara falls and then from Niagara Falls to Buffalo airport
• Our private customised guided tour of the boroughs in NYC
• I have detailed list of breakfast options for Quebec and Boston now
• A list of great lunch and dinner options for all cities near our hotels and the places we will be visiting
• I have worked out that cabs are the cheapest and easiest airport transfer options for most of our cities
• Which tour we will take in Boston, Washington and Quebec

I am feeling much more in control and over the weekend I hope to start piecing together what we will do on what days.

Then I will be able to turn my full attentions to Europe March 2013. I have booked our London, Scotland and Paris accom, know where I want to book for Ireland. I have my dates fixed and need to book our international flights. Then it will be time to work out what we want to see and how we are going to do it.

Whew, who knew getting sick would be so fruitful. Actually I think Shushh gave me the idea that illness was a good excuse to get some planning done

 

[dabecs]

Well done Ms Shuttergirl, sounds like you are on track I really hope you will start a thread for your European adventure soon, I can't wait to hear more! It is so great having 2 trips so close together but the planning must be hard work - you are doing a great job keeping your head around it all

I have a small list of places to eat in NY but no recommendations for Washington yet - anyone have any to share?

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Woohoo for you Ms Shuttergirl!!!

At least I now know why the whinging stopped...
Seriously, well done! Who wouldn't have thought that being sick could be such a blessing!

As for me, I've been stuck trying to decide between 2 houses in Provence to stay at for a week. Maybe I need to get sick again...

Feel free to email me the Provence choices today and I'll weigh in if you like hehe. I always find it easier making decisions for others.

Well done Ms Shuttergirl, sounds like you are on track I really hope you will start a thread for your European adventure soon, I can't wait to hear more! It is so great having 2 trips so close together but the planning must be hard work - you are doing a great job keeping your head around it all

I have a small list of places to eat in NY but no recommendations for Washington yet - anyone have any to share?

I promise to start a pre trip report soon Dabecs.

As for Washington recommendations, I've mainly researched places for near out hotel so don't think they would be of any use.

 

[dabecs]

What part of DC will you be in Ms Shuttergirl?I hear ihop has good breakfasts and is good value, and we will probably just eat lunch in whatever museum we are in that day. We are only there 4 nights so have to fit a lot in.

 

[shushh]

Yay!! Finally! All our accommodation for Europe has been organised. Thank you Ms Shuttergirl for the little kick up the behind...

 

[dabecs]

Free dining has been released to the public this morning!

And congrats on the booking Shushh Looking forward to your pre trip/trip report too.

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

What part of DC will you be in Ms Shuttergirl?I hear ihop has good breakfasts and is good value, and we will probably just eat lunch in whatever museum we are in that day. We are only there 4 nights so have to fit a lot in.

We are staying at the Embassy Suites Downtown so we get our breakfast included so one less thing to think about. I will scrape together the places I read about that are good for lunch near museums/tourist attractions and include them here.

We too are 4 nights, alot to do in that time but easily doable.

Are you going to do a tour of Washington also?

Yay!! Finally! All our accommodation for Europe has been organised. Thank you Ms Shuttergirl for the little kick up the behind...

Well done Shushh, you clever thing. I've seen a few of the places you are staying and they are gorgeous. Green with envy. Good for you to get all of that sorted, a big weight off your shoulders I'm sure. Loving the "castle" accom too.

Free dining has been released to the public this morning!

And congrats on the booking Shushh Looking forward to your pre trip/trip report too.

Hmmmm, free dining.

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Okay so when we booked our whole US/Canada trip I had "free dining" in mind with our dates the whole time. I had looked at historic dates for when free dining was offered and made some calculated choices and we booked our flights and accom with those dates in mind.

We had originally booked a split stay with 5 nights at AKL and 6 nights at POFQ. Well free dining has been announced very briefly for our dates and it has turned our whole booking around.

We arrive very late in the evening on 9 Dec after a mammoth trip from Canberra. Free dining starts on 10 Dec and only lasts until 13 December. On one hand this is amazing. On the other, this doesn't work with our split stay because you have to be checked in by 13th Dec.

We could've still done a modified split stay but it meant 1 less night at AKL, much more expensive park tickets and much dearer price for us overall.

Our best option was to choose1 resort or the other for the whole stay with the 9th of December being a room only booking and the free dining/park hoppers/accom package kicking in on 10 December.

Once we saw the price of the 2 resort options it really became a no brainer decision. As much as we dearly wanted to stay at AKL, staying at POFQ is so much cheaper we just couldn't do anything else.

In fact, free dining being offered and us having to go with one resort has ultimately saved us $1900 off our original room and ticket booking (no dining included).

Who would have thought that free dining would save us not only the thousands we would have spent on food for our family of 4 over 11 nights, but an additional $1900 in accom prices by our choices being limited.

I feel weirdly blessed by having our choices narrowed down and in a day or two when I get over my sadness of not staying with a Savannah view at AKL for 5 nights, I will be jumping for joy without a doubt .