PeepsII-The Hot, Sweaty Asian Strikes Back. Feb 2010. 12/2-Part 2 has begun.

[jordanyosh]

I really like Dawn's idea, too now that I think about it more. I still think we would look at the prices, but we'd do okay. I really don't like planning our park days around the ADRs, but you have to have them if you want a table anywhere - that happens whether you have the DDP or not.

I'm still pondering what to do...

as far as looking at the prices, what i did was go to each menu where we'd be eating, pick out what i wanted and what i think ray would want, one appetizer to split and one dessert to split usually (NOT looking at the prices), then alloted about $20-$25 for drinks, added in tax and tip, alloted $25/day on CS meals and $60 for snacks for the entire trip (7 days). then i took that amount and compared it to both the DDP and the DxDP by adding in tip and alcohol and we still came out ahead by paying out of pocket. it's sort of different than what i suggested for you but it's the same concept. instead of being told what you MUST use your credits on, you can use the money any way you want and if you don't want to keep an ADR, no big deal. nothing is lost. you still have that money to do what you want to with it. but like i said, it just works better for us. i think if we were big snackers we'd go with the DxDP. but we just don't eat that much food.

I gotta go back and really take a look at everything....I got time!!

Using points makes a lot of sense in their situation, hopefully they will get it figured out soon. I love the fact that they have so many time share options to choose from. Jealous!

I find the "To DDP or not DDP" a challenge.

Yes, I would eat differently (either Deluxe or not) if I could just order. AKA no desserts and probably salads and apps depending on hunger level, Deluxe takes care of that.

BUT, regardless of whether I'd put the money on a Visa card or pay with my debit card if I don't do the DDP I will be adding as I go and just even thinking about it makes it less "vacation like" to me. So while I love the flexibility you'd get by not doing the plan, I think we are probably going to stick with it. Not adding things up as I went, for 7 days, was one of the best vacation gifts I've ever given to myself and everytime I think about not doign the plan...I need to remember that! For me, it was worth the limitations.

Now. Deluxe verus DDP? Deluxe is a lot of sitting down. But aren't you doing Deluxe just for your Solo AKL days? For that I think it's fine. For the entire trip it might be a bit much.

I love the fact you get a lazy morning (if you so choose) on the first day, it sounds like a more relaxing start to the trip.

I think I did say at one point in this PTR that I like that all inclusive feel...hmmm...decisions.

I do like starting my vacation off sleeping in!!!

Morning Peeps !!! I prefer the ddp as I don't want to scimp on what I order and am such a tight wad I'd be ordering bread and water !!

too funny rosie.

 

[englishrose47]

Jordan I am honest!!!! I shop for bargains all the time !!! One of my favorite things is getting FREE or almost free Travel size things at TARGET!!! Part of the joy is how mad the cashiers are when they can't find a reason to not let me have it !!

 

[Millie12591]

Well, I could but run a very high risk of them mistaking my lung for my gall bladder. So in all practicality, "NO!". A friend of mine (a local) had hers taken out last year. She now has a beautiful 12 inch long scar, and was the color of an overripe banana for about 2 weeks. I'm pretty sure they either nicked her liver, or they made such a mess in there that she nearly bled out.

No thanks!

Uuuuuh, yea, I wouldn't let them touch me either. Sorry, so will you get to come back to the states to have it taken care of? Hope so.
Sorry for hi-jacking Jordie, worried about our friend here.

 

[jordanyosh]

EXACTLY ME! Going with DP of any kind helps with the tight was sydrome I suffer from.

I have the exact opposite problem. Money just slips through my fingers....

Jordan I am honest!!!! I shop for bargains all the time !!! One of my favorite things is getting FREE or almost free Travel size things at TARGET!!! Part of the joy is how mad the cashiers are when they can't find a reason to not let me have it !!

I am learning the ways of finding great things for bargain prices...it's almost like a game...

 

[Millie12591]

Why, thank you very much! I'm very proud of both of them! They had the choice of staying here and going in to debt to get their Master's as required in Oregon, or going to Texas last year and teaching, but they felt they wanted to be better qualified, so they chose to do that last year. They do love the kids and love to see the happen for the students. I agree - I couldn't be a teacher.
Congrats to you for home schooling! I don't think I could do that, either!

What kind of weather should we expect? I'm trying to figure out what to pack. Oh, and we get to go to SeaWorld free while we're there with Military tickets So excited!

Oooooh, you'll love Sea World. I use to live a stone's throw from there. As for clothes, pack just like you would for WDW in Dec., pack not knowing what in the world your going to get. It could be warm enough for shorts or you could be freezing your tushy, but for sure you need watch the weather for the week coming just to see what to expect, I'll try and send you a link for a local weather place here... be right back......http://sanantonio.justweather.com/ here you go. Hope this helps. If it doesn't, let me know.

 

[jordanyosh]

Uuuuuh, yea, I wouldn't let them touch me either. Sorry, so will you get to come back to the states to have it taken care of? Hope so.
Sorry for hi-jacking Jordie, worried about our friend here.

no worries hi jack away

 

[Millie12591]

FYI, take a look a Clarks on Zappo..I found a pair that I like.

I give up....there is just to many choices. I'm not a big fan of Clark's, they have great styles, but for the money they just don't meet up to the quality that I think they should. Merrell's, as you know are worth the money for the quality....they last forever.

 

[jordanyosh]

I give up....there is just to many choices. I'm not a big fan of Clark's, they have great styles, but for the money they just don't meet up to the quality that I think they should. Merrell's, as you know are worth the money for the quality....they last forever.

I think Merrells are the cockroach of shoes...I've had mine 7-8 years and they're still pretty good!

 

[Millie12591]

I think Merrells are the cockroach of shoes...I've had mine 7-8 years and they're still pretty good!

Agreed.

 

[PrincessV]

Logistically it would've difficult to swing especially if Derek had to leave as planned leaving Wendy to travel solo with 3 small children.

EEK, I hadn't realized that was a possibility! I only have one kid to wrangle and it's a challenge - no way would I want to do that with 3.

They are converting some Starwood points (well, actually alot of points) to airline miles and travelling on points.

Oh, one more thing, I need opinions about me doing the Deluxe Dining Plan...I've made ADRs based on the assumption that I will be doing the DxDP. HOWEVER, I've been thinking the last 2 days about it. I've had a stressful year and more stressful last few months. Do I need to be tied down to so many ADRs? I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the choices I made. I do know that I also need to relax and do nothing....your 2 cents?

Is the DxDP a huge savings over OOP? Would it still be if you decided to cut a TS or two? FWIW, I hate being tied down to ADRs and frequently wind up canceling them once there if I just don't feel like going. I'm guessing with the DxDP you'd be locked in, though, or forfeit that expense. Without it you'd at least have the flexibility of changing things as you go. (CAVEAT: this from an affirmed Dining Plan Hater. )

 

[WendyO]

Hi all... just an update on our non-plans for our flights... ha ha ha. Shockingly, DH is ok with "waiting a while longer" to see what flight prices do

Which amazingly (especially to Jordan who would be seriously freaking out if it were him ) I also am all "ehhh, we'll just wait and see...." because it still feels like a matter of how much we pay, or how we book a flight (points/cash) vs. NOT getting a flight... I think if I were feeling that pressure, then I'd be more anxious... so hopefully I'm not going to be in a position where we actually can't GET a flight...

But using Starwood points is not exactly like using airline miles, in that there are usually only a set number of "mileage seats" per flight, so even if there were open seats, you can't use your miles, whereas as long as there are open seats, you can book with your Starwood points. So I'm hoping that there will be availability if we decide to go with our points if the cash prices don't seem to be going down...

So we might wait a couple weeks (Jordan, try not to pass out... I know the thought of that probably just made you dizzy... hee hee) and then book with points if we have to.

In calculating out our conversion, we actually don't need to convert that many points so it's not out of the question to use our Starwood points for our flights if they're still up in the $400+ range...

Keep you posted on any happenings...

 

[winkers]

I may be kicked out of the OCD disney planner's club...but I'm not booking our Feb flights untill the first week of January.

 

[WendyO]

I may be kicked out of the OCD disney planner's club...but I'm not booking our Feb flights untill the first week of January.

Cool!!! We're in the same boat (and we literally may be if boats are the only affordable means of transport left after we've waited so long... ha ha )

Let's hope for some dramatic price drop in fares because today I just noticed that our point cost went up for the flights too (which I guess is expected, since it's based on the underlying cost of the flight)... so now I am really hoping for flights to go down, or we'll be converting more points than we thought... which I'm not sure we're willing to do.

Decisions, decisions....

 

[cjackearl]

Glad you've got a plan, Miss Wendy. Jordon, I loved being able to pay for our food in advance, so the DDP worked for us, whether it was a huge cash savings or not. Are many of your ADRs for 2 credit places? If so, you won't be much more tied down with ADRS than you would on the regular DDP. If not, I'd follow the punkin413 plan, I think.

 

[eandesmom]

I may be kicked out of the OCD disney planner's club...but I'm not booking our Feb flights untill the first week of January.

Cool!!! We're in the same boat (and we literally may be if boats are the only affordable means of transport left after we've waited so long... ha ha )

Let's hope for some dramatic price drop in fares because today I just noticed that our point cost went up for the flights too (which I guess is expected, since it's based on the underlying cost of the flight)... so now I am really hoping for flights to go down, or we'll be converting more points than we thought... which I'm not sure we're willing to do.

Decisions, decisions....

I'm guessing you will both be fine. Do you have BING fare alerts (old farecast) set up? That really worked well for us.

We booked ours last year, for the same time frame on 12/31/08 for flights on 2/12 and 2/19/09 ($228 out of SEA Winkers). Not ideal flight times but great price! The better times were long gone.

 

[Sleepingbooty]

Oh, one more thing, I need opinions about me doing the Deluxe Dining Plan...I've made ADRs based on the assumption that I will be doing the DxDP. HOWEVER, I've been thinking the last 2 days about it. I've had a stressful year and more stressful last few months. Do I need to be tied down to so many ADRs? I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the choices I made. I do know that I also need to relax and do nothing....your 2 cents?

Hmmmm.... what a dilemma. Dining is a BIG part of the fun for me, so I think the DxDP would be extremely awesome. On the other hand, it sure does cut a lot of time out of the parks. It would be great if like, you didn't have anything else to do. Kinda like a cruise, but on land

i have an idea. why don't you just take the money that you'd spend on doing the DxDP for whatever amount of time you are thinking about doing that, put that amount on a visa gift card for yourself, make/keep the ADRs and pay out of pocket. that way if you don't use the ADRs, no money lost, and you can just spend the money on whatever you want.....even sensible stuff like groceries when you get home! this is sort of what i'm doing for our next trip. when i added up what we'd probably be ordering if we had a choice to on the DDP or even the DXDP, it made more sense to pay out of pocket for what we wanted - we actually will be saving money. we just don't eat all those snacks and whatnot. and think about it - neither DP covers alcohol or tip, so those are things you'd be paying out of pocket for anyway. just a thought.

Very sensible!

BUT, regardless of whether I'd put the money on a Visa card or pay with my debit card if I don't do the DDP I will be adding as I go and just even thinking about it makes it less "vacation like" to me. So while I love the flexibility you'd get by not doing the plan, I think we are probably going to stick with it. Not adding things up as I went, for 7 days, was one of the best vacation gifts I've ever given to myself and everytime I think about not doign the plan...I need to remember that! For me, it was worth the limitations.

Exactly why I love the DDP

 

[All7OfUs]

I doubt either of you would actually be put into a position of NO seats being avail. I see empty planes all the time. Another week might be a good idea to see what the fickle airlines will do. But honestly trying to predict them would take a full-on Nostradamus anyway.

 

[jordanyosh]

Agreed.

I've been hearing not so good things about the Clarks.....

EEK, I hadn't realized that was a possibility! I only have one kid to wrangle and it's a challenge - no way would I want to do that with 3.

Luckily it's not the option she chose.

Is the DxDP a huge savings over OOP? Would it still be if you decided to cut a TS or two? FWIW, I hate being tied down to ADRs and frequently wind up canceling them once there if I just don't feel like going. I'm guessing with the DxDP you'd be locked in, though, or forfeit that expense. Without it you'd at least have the flexibility of changing things as you go. (CAVEAT: this from an affirmed Dining Plan Hater. )

The main selling point for the DDP is not having to worry too much about the bill...more of that inclusive feel...

I may be kicked out of the OCD disney planner's club...but I'm not booking our Feb flights untill the first week of January.

I'd be freaking out......

 

[jordanyosh]

Glad you've got a plan, Miss Wendy. Jordon, I loved being able to pay for our food in advance, so the DDP worked for us, whether it was a huge cash savings or not. Are many of your ADRs for 2 credit places? If so, you won't be much more tied down with ADRS than you would on the regular DDP. If not, I'd follow the punkin413 plan, I think.

I have an idea what I'm going to do....I think

Hmmmm.... what a dilemma. Dining is a BIG part of the fun for me, so I think the DxDP would be extremely awesome. On the other hand, it sure does cut a lot of time out of the parks. It would be great if like, you didn't have anything else to do. Kinda like a cruise, but on land

I LOVE eating. I don't get to eat great food that often so the opportunity to eat at Jiko, flying fish....don't know if I can pass it up....

 

[englishrose47]

Morning Peeps !! I too would be freaking out about the airfare !!! I am already booked and used my credits !! Now I just have to use the ones for May for my Sept trip !!!That I can't do till March!!!