****Official August 2014 Thread****

[sktjcox]

Hey sktjcox, Just an FYI....Jetblue releases their schedule through to September 2/14 on Sunday, November 17th at 12 noon ET. Good luck on getting a great flight price!! I will be looking, too!

Thank you!!!!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Thank you!!!!

You're welcome!

 

[poohlover4life]

HELLOOOOOO MY AUGUST FAMILY! I hope everyone is doing well as we gear up for the Holidays! I can't believe Thanksgiving is almost here! I'm so excited because this is my first Holiday Season NOT in the food industry so i'm sorta excited to get to dress up for the special days at work lol. It's the little things . I don't know if I will be able to post again till after Thanksgiving so I wanted to Wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and Start of Hanukkah for those celebrating and I shall be back hopfully before Christmas and Kwanzaa to wish everyone a happy those too!! I LOVE THE HOLIDAY SEASON! there's no turkey icon lol

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Well, I must say.......the newly released August airfare prices are awful . $500+ pp return via JetBlue is ridiculous, and on par with our stupidly expensive airfare from Canada. We will definitely be waiting it out an the hopes that the rates will decline after the initial frenzy is over.

Sigh....here I had hoped to be able to cross airfare off my list this past weekend!!!

 

[disneymom1229]

Well, I must say.......the newly released August airfare prices are awful . $500+ pp return via JetBlue is ridiculous, and on par with our stupidly expensive airfare from Canada. We will definitely be waiting it out an the hopes that the rates will decline after the initial frenzy is over.

Sigh....here I had hoped to be able to cross airfare off my list this past weekend!!!

I had been watching for Jet Blue also and am flying out of Buffalo. I can get my departure date, but we don't return until the 4th!!!
The flight out is $210!! In September I paid $115 each way. I'm pretty disappointed... Even if the price of my departing flight goes down, I will have to wait a couple months to even see my return flight.
Even though I prefer Jet Blue, I guess I will have to go back to checking Southwest too.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I had been watching for Jet Blue also and am flying out of Buffalo. I can get my departure date, but we don't return until the 4th!!!
The flight out is $210!! In September I paid $115 each way. I'm pretty disappointed... Even if the price of my departing flight goes down, I will have to wait a couple months to even see my return flight.
Even though I prefer Jet Blue, I guess I will have to go back to checking Southwest too.

We can fly from either SYR or BUF, and while its nice to have options.......neither was appealing in the slightest!!! So I feel your pain. The flight out of SYR was $238.....and out of BUF, it was $270 . Home to SYR was also $238, and to BUF it was $210.

I am hoping the JB prices will decline once SW and AT release their schedules for the same time period. A little competition tends to keep 'em in line. We are absolutely no fans of either SW or AT, so if we can't get something reasonable with JP by January or February, we'll start seriously watching Air Canada and Westjet.

This will be me for the next few months . I will certainly be getting in touch with my obsessive-compulsive side for a while .

 

[eeyorefan41]

Hello everyone,

We will be at the ASM family suites from 8/16-8/23. This will be our 5th trip and in the past we have always gone in November aka Jersey Week. I am not looking forward to the heat and humidity of August but we are going with SIL's family who can only go at this time. The two good things is I will be in Disney and will staying on property for the first time! Any helpful tips for going at this time of year would be great.

 

[Disneylover99]

Hello everyone,

We will be at the ASM family suites from 8/16-8/23. This will be our 5th trip and in the past we have always gone in November aka Jersey Week. I am not looking forward to the heat and humidity of August but we are going with SIL's family who can only go at this time. The two good things is I will be in Disney and will staying on property for the first time! Any helpful tips for going at this time of year would be great.

The best thing about summer trips is that it's so easy to pack. You don't need pants, sweaters or long sleeve shirts. Bring sunblock and rain ponchos instead.

 

[sktjcox]

We can fly from either SYR or BUF, and while its nice to have options.......neither was appealing in the slightest!!! So I feel your pain. The flight out of SYR was $238.....and out of BUF, it was $270 . Home to SYR was also $238, and to BUF it was $210. I am hoping the JB prices will decline once SW and AT release their schedules for the same time period. A little competition tends to keep 'em in line. We are absolutely no fans of either SW or AT, so if we can't get something reasonable with JP by January or February, we'll start seriously watching Air Canada and Westjet. This will be me for the next few months . I will certainly be getting in touch with my obsessive-compulsive side for a while .

I was surprised too - for 5 of us we would still save 800 dollars or so though.

 

[Mousemommy1]

HELLOOOOOO MY AUGUST FAMILY! I hope everyone is doing well as we gear up for the Holidays! I can't believe Thanksgiving is almost here! I'm so excited because this is my first Holiday Season NOT in the food industry so i'm sorta excited to get to dress up for the special days at work lol. It's the little things . I don't know if I will be able to post again till after Thanksgiving so I wanted to Wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and Start of Hanukkah for those celebrating and I shall be back hopfully before Christmas and Kwanzaa to wish everyone a happy those too!! I LOVE THE HOLIDAY SEASON! there's no turkey icon lol

I am another one who loves the holiday season. I have been shopping like crazy and hope I am nearing the end. My goal was to be done by Thanksgiving but now I'm thinking that might not happen. Happy holidays to you!!!

Well, I must say.......the newly released August airfare prices are awful . $500+ pp return via JetBlue is ridiculous, and on par with our stupidly expensive airfare from Canada. We will definitely be waiting it out an the hopes that the rates will decline after the initial frenzy is over.

Sigh....here I had hoped to be able to cross airfare off my list this past weekend!!!

I had been watching for Jet Blue also and am flying out of Buffalo. I can get my departure date, but we don't return until the 4th!!!
The flight out is $210!! In September I paid $115 each way. I'm pretty disappointed... Even if the price of my departing flight goes down, I will have to wait a couple months to even see my return flight.
Even though I prefer Jet Blue, I guess I will have to go back to checking Southwest too.

I wasn't really too impressed with Jet blue's rates when they were released either. Even though I've already purchased airfare through SW, I was thinking that if JB is cheap enough, I would buy airfare through them and then change my existing airfare to go see my mom down in MD on one of the kids school vacations....but, not so much. Not yet anyhow. Watching SW's release....

Hello everyone,

We will be at the ASM family suites from 8/16-8/23. This will be our 5th trip and in the past we have always gone in November aka Jersey Week. I am not looking forward to the heat and humidity of August but we are going with SIL's family who can only go at this time. The two good things is I will be in Disney and will staying on property for the first time! Any helpful tips for going at this time of year would be great.

Sounds like fun!!!! Did you pick a room theme, or just "family suites"? Let me know and I'll add your info to page 1

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I wasn't really too impressed with Jet blue's rates when they were released either. Even though I've already purchased airfare through SW, I was thinking that if JB is cheap enough, I would buy airfare through them and then change my existing airfare to go see my mom down in MD on one of the kids school vacations....but, not so much. Not yet anyhow. Watching SW's release....

When do SW's August fares generally go live, Mousemommny? I am hoping that the SW/AirTran schedule release will drive JetBlue down to a more reasonable level. There has been a teensy bit of movement downward, but round trip is still sitting at $436 pp for us from Syracuese ..... from Buffalo, its even worse!!! I was hoping for somewhere in the $350 range, so there's still a lot of room for improvement.

 

[Lynne G]

Hello August vacation people! I like to vacation in FLA in August. Easy packing. No need for jackets or heavy clothes. You can swim at night without freezing when you get out. And, at least for our family, when the kids are not otherwise committed to school, sports, or camp.

So, thanks to the *** agency promotion, the rate I'm getting for the YC is better than a military rate, thus, we booked the YC for August 23 to 31. I wanted the BC, but my tween and teen thought the more "adult" looking YC was a better fit for us. They thought the BC would be too noisy. HA! And they are still kids!

And, since we are Universal fans too, the *** rate for the Portofino is pretty good, so August 19 to 23 is now booked there. I am hoping the USO AP rate is lower, but for now, the *** rate is much better than rack or AAA.

I too am waiting for SW to open their books for the end of August. Last year, I think it was in January. I don't know why each airline can choose when they want to open their books. I could use US Air, but I'd like to compare their rates with SW, as I usually book the cheapest, but with the times I want.

Glad to use the Disney military salute tickets again this year. It will save us money for tickets. I'll buy them in February. I have to give my ITT office lots of time to get them. Since we are not in FLA, 18 hours away or so, my ITT office refuses to stock them, but orders when enough people ask for them. I can get my Universal tickets for my kids (I have an AP) any time from the ITT office. Somehow they seem to have them in stock most of the time.

Since it is 21 degrees F right now, I am so thinking warm thoughts.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Hello August vacation people! I like to vacation in FLA in August. Easy packing. No need for jackets or heavy clothes. You can swim at night without freezing when you get out. And, at least for our family, when the kids are not otherwise committed to school, sports, or camp.

So, thanks to the *** agency promotion, the rate I'm getting for the YC is better than a military rate, thus, we booked the YC for August 23 to 31. I wanted the BC, but my tween and teen thought the more "adult" looking YC was a better fit for us. They thought the BC would be too noisy. HA! And they are still kids!

And, since we are Universal fans too, the *** rate for the Portofino is pretty good, so August 19 to 23 is now booked there. I am hoping the USO AP rate is lower, but for now, the *** rate is much better than rack or AAA.

I too am waiting for SW to open their books for the end of August. Last year, I think it was in January. I don't know why each airline can choose when they want to open their books. I could use US Air, but I'd like to compare their rates with SW, as I usually book the cheapest, but with the times I want.

Glad to use the Disney military salute tickets again this year. It will save us money for tickets. I'll buy them in February. I have to give my ITT office lots of time to get them. Since we are not in FLA, 18 hours away or so, my ITT office refuses to stock them, but orders when enough people ask for them. I can get my Universal tickets for my kids (I have an AP) any time from the ITT office. Somehow they seem to have them in stock most of the time.

Since it is 21 degrees F right now, I am so thinking warm thoughts.

I have two words for you, my friend...

DIS MEET!

 

[Lynne G]

I have two words for you, my friend...

DIS MEET!

WOOT! Ma'am! :

Will be nice to say hello in person.

I can't believe I will be in Orlando in less than a month. So exciting to be there during the holiday. Hoping for unusually warm weather at the end of December. After that trip, I will still be waiting for August. The older I'm getting the more I love the warm weather.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

WOOT! Ma'am! :

Will be nice to say hello in person.

I can't believe I will be in Orlando in less than a month. So exciting to be there during the holiday. Hoping for unusually warm weather at the end of December. After that trip, I will still be waiting for August. The older I'm getting the more I love the warm weather.

I am soooo jealous of your Christmas trip!! I hope you have a fab time......as you are floating peacefully around the lazy river at Discovery Cove, you can think of me enduring the wrath of my inlaws 'round the dinner table .

I am with you...I would rather take the heat of August over our cold Canadian winters. DH and I regularly talk about moving south once the kiddo is grown (tho we wouldn't make any changes while my mom is still alive....I could never leave her behind, and Lord knows she'd never go with us). I hate our blustery winters. The stork must have gotten lost on his journey 40 years ago and left me in the wrong hemisphere .

You will be amazed at how quickly August rolls around after your December getaway is over. That trip in the middle really seems to speed up time!!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Bought our airfare today, so dates are "official".....August 17th to 31st.

Flying non-stop via JetBlue from Syracuse. Prices were ridiculously high, but we arrive before lunch and have almost the full departure day at our disposal, so we are maximizing our time to the fullest. And two of our outbound flights were free thanks to True Blue points, so the overall cost was manageable.

Got a good deal on SeaWorld and Aquatica all-day dining passes on their "Blue Friday" sales. Saved 20% .

Accommodations, flights, park tickets and some dining all covered before Christmas....so we are right on target .

 

[Lynne G]

Yea! Gina, so good when the airfare is booked.

I am patiently waiting for SW. Thinking in January. You will be in town 2 days before us! Lucky!

Countdown is now at 11 days.

 

[aloha517]

Ok.. So I need some serious help figuring out all these different scenarios in my head .. I need clarity on what to do..currently my family if 5 is booked at BC garden view from 8/20-8/29.. We have 8 day PH passes+ waterparks and more option we are doing the dining plan.. I've recently been in contact w a TA and am considering canceling my current reservation bc of the HUGE savings..they do not offer DDP w this promotion..... Same dates same hotel but standard room minus dining plan is $4000 cheaper!!! If I upgrade to CL it's a $2500 cheaper than my current reservation... So what do I do? Do people w CL usually skip DDP? I have never NOT used the DDP but it is not an option if I go w the TA ..Do I skip CL? It was never even an option before this...help please

 

[pigletto]

Ok.. So I need some serious help figuring out all these different scenarios in my head .. I need clarity on what to do..currently my family if 5 is booked at BC garden view from 8/20-8/29.. We have 8 day PH passes+ waterparks and more option we are doing the dining plan.. I've recently been in contact w a TA and am considering canceling my current reservation bc of the HUGE savings..they do not offer DDP w this promotion..... Same dates same hotel but standard room minus dining plan is $4000 cheaper!!! If I upgrade to CL it's a $2500 cheaper than my current reservation... So what do I do? Do people w CL usually skip DDP? I have never NOT used the DDP but it is not an option if I go w the TA ..Do I skip CL? It was never even an option before this...help please

With $4000 savings you can pay for your meals out of pocket twice and still have money left. Go with the *** promotion. I have used them before and loved them.
Even if you go club level the savings difference will more than cover your food.

 

[Mousemommy1]

Ok.. So I need some serious help figuring out all these different scenarios in my head .. I need clarity on what to do..currently my family if 5 is booked at BC garden view from 8/20-8/29.. We have 8 day PH passes+ waterparks and more option we are doing the dining plan.. I've recently been in contact w a TA and am considering canceling my current reservation bc of the HUGE savings..they do not offer DDP w this promotion..... Same dates same hotel but standard room minus dining plan is $4000 cheaper!!! If I upgrade to CL it's a $2500 cheaper than my current reservation... So what do I do? Do people w CL usually skip DDP? I have never NOT used the DDP but it is not an option if I go w the TA ..Do I skip CL? It was never even an option before this...help please

We have found that staying CL and having the DDP was too much food. But, we love CL, so we dropped the DDP. We have the TiW card though, so used that towards paying OOP. On our last 11 day trip, we paid a total of $1080 for all food/alcohol for our family of four!!! The DDP would have cost $1500+ and not included alcohol...

CL is great for my family for breakfast as the we are not huge breakfast people so the smallish items like fruit, bagels/pastries and cereal are perfect!

We will usually do a TS lunch and then snack on the hot appetizers in the evening before heading out to the parks.

You should give CL a shot!