October 2015 PTR: a “Halloweenie” and her Fearless Companion conquer their first HHN!

[Lynne G]

Though you are a cat lover, check out my funny in Mac's thread. People cross dogs and the names you give that combo can be funny.

I thought we were on for that Monday night. I haven't made a ressie yet, as I was hoping Mac would join us. I will have to ask her again. I will also post closer inviting anyone else who would like to join us.

Hope you have a great weekend.

 

[Lynne G]

Yeah, I believe ya.

 

[macraven]

i'll join in but just give me a heads up of when and where...
i leave in 3 days for orlando.
hitting the motherland first and then moving to the darkside resorts.
i haven't been on the computer much the past few weeks as we have been house hunting.
two trips south and finally found the place we want to buy.
been decluttering and packing of present house since we got back home.

gina, you and Mr gina will look kewl in your mnsshp outfits!
you'll get loads of candy and get lots of attention going as pirates.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Though you are a cat lover, check out my funny in Mac's thread. People cross dogs and the names you give that combo can be funny.

I thought we were on for that Monday night. I haven't made a ressie yet, as I was hoping Mac would join us. I will have to ask her again. I will also post closer inviting anyone else who would like to join us.

Hope you have a great weekend.

lol, that meme was hilarious. I may not be a dog lover, but it still gave me my Friday chuckle!!

Thanks for your hard work and unending patience in heading up the Margaritaville meet . I know its kind of chaotic to get a group of people you don't even know all co-ordinated!

Any exciting plans for your weekend, Lynne? It's a quiet one here.....Steve is working 12 hour days. I'm housecleaning and doing laundry this morning, and taking mom grocery shopping this afternoon. Tomorrow is wide open, so I'll have to be creative to see what I can come up with!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

View attachment 125885

Yeah, I believe ya.

Ha ha! See @dancin Disney style , someone believes in my sweetness and innocence .

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

i'll join in but just give me a heads up of when and where...
i leave in 3 days for orlando.
hitting the motherland first and then moving to the darkside resorts.
i haven't been on the computer much the past few weeks as we have been house hunting.
two trips south and finally found the place we want to buy.
been decluttering and packing of present house since we got back home.

gina, you and Mr gina will look kewl in your mnsshp outfits!
you'll get loads of candy and get lots of attention going as pirates.

3 days for you!! Lucky duck!

Moving is the pits....I don't envy you there. When you say "south", how far south are you headed? (you're in Michigan or somewhere pretty far north right now, aren't you?)

Let me tell ya, we check our lottery every weekend to see if our dreams of relocating "down south" are finally able to come true. So far, no luck .... but there's another draw tonight (and where there's another jackpot, there is still hope! ) . When I'm feeling in a dreamy mood, I often check out Orlando properties on Zillow just so we're prepared if we ever do win big. Ah, its fun to dream .

Here's to a safe journey and fun times for you in both the Motherland and the Darkside . Say hi to the minions for me, and tell them I'll see them on the 10th!! (and I look forward to meeting you, LIVE and IN PERSON, on the 12!!)

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I submitted our Diamond Lane requests to the Vistana last night. Top floor villa with a skylight and as close as possible to the Fountains pool.

Ah, to heck with Zillow. If I win the lottery, I'm just going to buy another 50 weeks at SVR. Why not?

 

[ArwenMarie]

Definitely just buy 50 more weeks at SVR. Home ownership is so overrated

I wish I was headed down. The weather is starting to get cool here, time for me to leave haha.

 

[dancin Disney style]

Ha ha! See @dancin Disney style , someone believes in my sweetness and innocence .

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Definitely just buy 50 more weeks at SVR. Home ownership is so overrated

I wish I was headed down. The weather is starting to get cool here, time for me to leave haha.

There's a definitive chill in the air here too (well, not so much in the afternoons....mid-day, its GORGEOUS....but morning and evening, brrrrr ). I can definitely feel autumn's arrival. It's going to be very weird to step back into the heat and humidity for a week!! (weird, but in a nice way )

View attachment 126053

I think I'm getting a bit of a reputation around here .

 

[tristyp]

Hi Gina. We checked in yesterday. We requested a top floor close to the Fountains pool. We got a great room. Top floor building 32 room 1517. Right by a grill as well. We also walked around the entire resort tonight. We wanted to see the other 2 large pools. We were planning to swim in a different one another day this week but after seeing all of them, we are very happy where we are.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Hi Gina. We checked in yesterday. We requested a top floor close to the Fountains pool. We got a great room. Top floor building 32 room 1517. Right by a grill as well. We also walked around the entire resort tonight. We wanted to see the other 2 large pools. We were planning to swim in a different one another day this week but after seeing all of them, we are very happy where we are.

Yay! You're there! I guess then I can say....."Welcome Home" .

So glad you are happy with your villa in the Fountains. I simply adore that section of the resort . I hope you guys have an awesome vacation, and that the rest of your time at SVR is fantabulous!

If you have a minute, could you check on something for me? Just wondering what day of the week they're having the Gatorland visit these days. Curious if it has changed since August. I do love me some gators .

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

 

[pigletto]

So excited for you Gina!! It getting so close now!!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

So excited for you Gina!! It getting so close now!!

Oddly enough, I've been spending more time on the Christmas trip plans over the last week than I have on our ever-so-close October vacation. A couple of weeks ago, Jake and Sweetie ended their 2+ year relationship.......so now we're no longer travelling in December as a party of 4. I've had to revamp things a little bit, and throw myself at the mercy of the Guest Services department of several different attractions to see if they would refund one of our pre-paid tickets. Thankfully, their break-up doesn't mean I'm out her non-refundable airfare......that's the only expense we ever had her cover, for this very reason.......but I do feel badly that she cannot get that money back. Yes, Jetblue will issue her a credit for the fare price less a $150 cancellation penalty, but she and her family don't travel, so essentially those funds are going to go up in smoke.

I must admit, though, I'm secretly delighted that our Christmas trip will be just us three chickens. Its not very often these days we have exclusive time for just the three of us.....so I value it like pure gold. And considering this is most likely Jake's last trip with us for quite some time (assuming he gets a full time position in his field after graduation in the spring), it couldn't be better timed.

Undercover Tourist was awesome about refunding us for the Gatorland tickets (we cancelled that order in its entirety.....the only reason we had added it to the December trip was for Sweetie's benefit, as she had never been). Wild Florida refunded us the full value of her ticket for the airboat ride and animal park admission, no questions asked. The Fun Spot all-day pass was a little trickier through Groupon, but we found a happy middle ground and they just refunded the paid value in Groupon bucks for us to use on other purchases (which we have since bought a bowling pass for the new Kings Bowl on I-Drive, and still have more than $11 remaining.....perhaps for some mini golf if an offer comes out). The Orlando Eye would not, could not do anything about her multi-attraction pass to the Eye, Sea Life Aquarium, and Madame Tussauds, but they did extended the expiration so that the admission can be used anytime in the future. Depending on how much we enjoy that trio of attractions at Christmas, perhaps Steve and I will just buy one more 3-entry pass for May and re-visit them again then.

I think that's what is aiding in making time pass so quickly....there's been so much to do!!!

 

[ArwenMarie]

Jake and Sweetie broke up? Sorry to hear that, hope everyone made it through the breakup without too much distress.

I'm so glad you have that trip planned considering the circumstances with work and college. I'm sure it will be one to cherish. I know what you mean about it just being the three of you. I think I love our trips so much because it's just the four of us focusing on each other without the "real world" barging in

Nice to hear the companies were generous with refunds. That's too bad about the JetBlue fare but those are breaks with the airlines these days unfortunately.

 

[pigletto]

Oh wow Gina. That is a big change. I'm sorry to hear that and hope that the split has been as harmonious as possible under the circumstances. My dd has been in a relationship the same amount of time and I know that no matter how amicable it would be very hard.

That sure was a lot of work to refund/replan things but it looks like all but the Orlando Eye were flexible so that's a plus.
And as much as I like dd's boyfriend, I know exactly what you mean about valuing any time you get as just your family because it's become rare around here as well. They grow up so quick, I'm pleased you get one more trio vacation!

 

[tink1957]

Sorry to hear about Jake's breakup Gina. The same thing happened to me a few years ago when DS Trey's girlfriend broke up with him right before our trip but luckily I had booked such a good package deal with SW vacations that it only set me back $76 for her airfare. Since then I get the money upfront if he wants to bring someone so I'm only out my time and trouble if they cancel (yes, it did happen again last year when his friend cancelled)
I'm really fortunate to have both of my kids still at home and we try to vacation as a family at least once a year...we also talk about moving to Florida when I win the lottery...we already have a house picked out so we're ready

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Jake and Sweetie broke up? Sorry to hear that, hope everyone made it through the breakup without too much distress.

I'm so glad you have that trip planned considering the circumstances with work and college. I'm sure it will be one to cherish. I know what you mean about it just being the three of you. I think I love our trips so much because it's just the four of us focusing on each other without the "real world" barging in

Nice to hear the companies were generous with refunds. That's too bad about the JetBlue fare but those are breaks with the airlines these days unfortunately.

Oh wow Gina. That is a big change. I'm sorry to hear that and hope that the split has been as harmonious as possible under the circumstances. My dd has been in a relationship the same amount of time and I know that no matter how amicable it would be very hard.

That sure was a lot of work to refund/replan things but it looks like all but the Orlando Eye were flexible so that's a plus.
And as much as I like dd's boyfriend, I know exactly what you mean about valuing any time you get as just your family because it's become rare around here as well. They grow up so quick, I'm pleased you get one more trio vacation!

Don't think me awful for saying this, but.....the break up is a good thing. The writing on the wall has been there since last spring, and it needed to happen. While we fully accepted Sweetie into our family (as we would anyone who Jake takes a shine to), she wouldn't have been our pick for a long-term partner for him. And we really wanted him to have his last year of college to be a college guy, without being tied down or having to miss out on special events because it was upsetting to a girlfriend. They are both very young and have their whole lives and futures ahead of them. I think, being unattached, it will allow Jake to consider many more different options once he wraps up his final year in the spring. So being purely selfish and looking at things ONLY from the perspective of Jake's mom, I am not at all unhappy. I am empathetic to both sides though, just in case you think I'm totally heartless.

Of course, the ending came with a little drama (hard to avoid when feelings are involved), but things have quieted down. I honestly think that the fact that she knows she's missing out on another much-anticipated Orlando vacation made the whole situation even harder than it would have been on its own. She's feeling the burn emotionally and losing financially to boot.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Sorry to hear about Jake's breakup Gina. The same thing happened to me a few years ago when DS Trey's girlfriend broke up with him right before our trip but luckily I had booked such a good package deal with SW vacations that it only set me back $76 for her airfare. Since then I get the money upfront if he wants to bring someone so I'm only out my time and trouble if they cancel (yes, it did happen again last year when his friend cancelled)
I'm really fortunate to have both of my kids still at home and we try to vacation as a family at least once a year...we also talk about moving to Florida when I win the lottery...we already have a house picked out so we're ready

Yes, lesson definitely learned on buying tickets ahead of time . I have been patting myself on the back that we had the foresight to have her purchase her own airfare....that would have been a bitter pill to swallow for us!! (especially when EVERYTHING is so much more expensive right now with our dollar so low)

Its funny you mention that its happened to you, too....when I called Jetblue to find out what would happen to her ticket (in the event that she or her mom approached me with that question), the rep at the airline also said that this kind of thing is a pretty regular occurrence with travelers. Oh, the joys of air travel . And teenagers .