PTR to CBR -- an August 2012 Adventure

[lbuzz52]

Hi Lauren!!!! Thanks for coming on over. I went ahead and subbed to your tr, so I will get to check out your pictures. You know what's funny? I think I had previously found your pics and saved them. Do you ever post to the Photo of the Day threads? I have only started your tr, but you have the most adorable family. I can't wait to read more! Oh, and I'm definitely copying your shortcuts and path maps to help us navigate. I've also asked for Jamaica, ground floor, so maybe I'll end up in the same building. It looks like there are 4 buildings attached to make one building such as #44. Is that right?

i may have posted there once or twice but if so i don't remember it. i used to post in the CBR thread but now i'm getting to the point that some of the details are hazy enough to make me second guess my info.

they are sort of separate buildings- if you are on the ground floor you could walk in between them, but if on a higher floor you would not have to exit one building to get to another- if that makes sense at all. they have a little breezeway/ walkway type connection.

i thought our building was so great... it was central to the village pool etc, close to both OPR and the busstop. i actually requested that building, thinking that 45 was the most requested so maybe i'd get lucky.

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

I’m glad you got your flight, Ann! Woo hoo for nonstop! Yeah, my feeling is that you shouldn’t get return tickets and you should just LIVE down there! I have a FB friend who was just in Celebration for the week, staying at a relative’s house. I was super jealous

 

[Victoriasmom98]

It all started this morning at 4am when there was a knock on the bedroom door….”Mom? I had a bad dream….” I don’t think I’ve heard those words since she was 6. (She’s 14). So, of course I took the blanket off so she could get in between Peter and I. She cuddled right up to me and began telling us her dream. (I was secretly loving this. I miss my baby!) I think the dream had much more to do with being away from me as anything else. She stated a couple of times that she was going to miss me and that she loved me. She was crying just a bit, too, but we all settled back down and fell asleep.

At 5:15am I hear Peter’s cell phone alarm. He had set it to Beavis & Butthead’s Cornholio saying, “'my bunghole, it goes ra-ka-ka-ka'” over and over. I thought I was going to die laughing. Who in their right mind would set their alarm to say that??!! Yes, we are teens from the 80’s and sort of have a sick humor, so this was perfect!

Victoria was all packed from the night before, so we were ready and at the school at 6:15am. Yep, I cried. I’m going to miss her terribly. SHE’S IN ANOTHER COUNTRY!! Ok, granted, it’s only a 5 hour drive from our city to Quebec, but still. It IS another country! Really! Different currency, different law enforcement, different culture. It’s not like going from Future World to the countries in EPCOT, after all. Wow. So, I will share some pictures though….

 

[Victoriasmom98]

I have made it through the first night of Victoria’s trip to Quebec. I’m ok. It’s very quiet at my house right now because when she is home her talking just doesn’t stop. I’m not a big talker unless something is really on my mind but Peter can go on and on and on and on, well, you get the picture! Love ya, honey! Only tonight left to go and then she’ll be home by 8pm on Saturday. Of course I’m following along with the itinerary to see where she is right this minute! I think this short trip is a good one for the first one away from me. I really don’t think I could take a week of this. Not yet. She’s only 14!!!

In Disney related news, my tip envelopes are completed. They aren’t anything really fancy, but I like them nonetheless.

Now I have to fill them. When I get extra money. When exactly will that be? Ugh! We still have about $800 to pay on the trip itself which is my responsibility. See, I kinda “borrowed” the State refund for other bills and haven’t gotten around to paying it back yet. Peter thinks it all went to the trip. Sorry, honey. It didn’t, but it will. I promise! It’s little stuff that comes up such as my car needed one tire in order to pass inspection last week. $170 for the inspection and tire. Ugh! I don’t allow myself much money from my paycheck, so this $170 came out of the money I was putting towards the trip. Expenses just never end, do they? And, since I work for State government, we haven’t had a cost of living raise in over 4 years now. I know, I know. I am thankful I have a job with benefits and enough money to pay the bills. But still. Wow, that was a rant, wasn’t it?? Sorry.

It’s also time to pack my meds for the trip. I take a lot of meds just to keep me alive (lucky me) and I have 2 pill containers that are organized by days of the week. (yes, kind of like underwear!)

One container I use day to day and the other I use for trips lasting over 7 days. Since the meds won’t expire, I might as well pack them now, so I have them. I once took a trip (thankfully just for a weekend) and forgot my meds. That incident is what has since prompted me to pack them ahead of time. I just can’t pack the insulin and Victoza yet as those get refrigerated. Did you guys need to know all that? TMI? Oh well, aren’t we like family now anyways?

I’ve been reading lots of ptrs and trs this past week and I’m getting so very excited. It makes me want to be there right now. Does anyone ever have all their plans done, ADRs done and then rethink everything? I’m in that kind of mode right now. I have checked the crowd calendars at www.easywdw.com and feel pretty confident, but what if…what if this happens, what if that happens? I just can’t help it. I’ve planned numerous trips now, so you would think I would have it all under control. We don’t purchase the park hoppers, so the park we plan for that day is the park we have ADRs in and it cannot be changed. I’m not used to going in August, either, so that’s putting a little bit of stress in planning, too. I’m sure everything will be fine. After all, how can it not, we’ll be in Disney! Oh does anyone still fax their requests to the resort about 5 days before arrival? I’ve read that the room assigners no longer look at those. Can anyone verify this for me? I had put on the original request either Jamaica 45 or Aruba 51. Now that I’ve been reading reports and examining the map even closer, I really think Jamaica 44 or 43 would be perfect. Oh I don’t know. It’s really up to the assignment Gods anyways, right? I just need a ground floor due to no elevators and arthritis in my right knee. I’m great walking all over the place and going Upstairs. I just can’t go downstairs without going almost sideways. Yes, it's funny to watch! Maybe I'll even put it on YouTube one day!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Oh Ann, I hope tomorrow morning comes fast for you!

I know what you mean about stuff continuing to come up! I need all the tires replaced on my SUV and I just keep thinking that it would pay for nearly half of my & Rey's trip in November! Disney over tires anyday in my book...probably why both my vehicles are falling apart!

Glad you got your tickets! I have to wait until May 21st for SW to release the November tickets, but I'm concerned b/c prices seem REALLY high on other airlines and they all have stops and layovers...so SW is really a necessity. I tried for one of those cards so I could get some points, but they declined me. Oh well, I'll accumulate some points when I fly with Rey and can use them some other time maybe.

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

How wonderful that Victoria got to go on a trip to Quebec! I would have been a nervous wreck for all of the reasons you stated – a different country, different currency etc. Was it for a French class or something? How did she like it there? Peter’s alarm is hilarious! The tip envelopes are cute! I need to get on doing some myself. That is a great idea to pack your meds now – I think I should do that too. I’m getting all sorts of ideas from your PTR

 

[Angies1274]

Joining in! We went at the end of August in 2009 and although it was hot, the crowds weren't bad at all. The wait times for the rides were all really good. Yay for staying at CBR!! I'm hoping to stay there in the future! It looks like such a beautiful resort. Can't wait to hear more about your trip!

 

[mickeystoontown]

Well, because of the gosh darn Dis "update", I'm not getting email notifications and am doing it the old fashion way by checking my list in the User CP. So, how did Victoria like her trip? I'm betting she had a blast and has been talking a mile a minute every since she got home.

As far as faxing room requests goes, I heard that they stopped looking at faxes a few years ago. I usually call and make my requests soon after booking and then call again about a week or so before our arrival date. I know that there are other Jamaica buildings that are a bit closer to the bridge to Old Port Royale but we've really enjoyed Jamaica 41 and 42. Honestly, if you were placed anywhere in Jamaica, I think you'd be fine.

 

[Victoriasmom98]

Joining in! We went at the end of August in 2009 and although it was hot, the crowds weren't bad at all. The wait times for the rides were all really good. Yay for staying at CBR!! I'm hoping to stay there in the future! It looks like such a beautiful resort. Can't wait to hear more about your trip!

Hi Angie and thanks for tagging along! I hope you enjoy it and don't get too bored. I'm going to go read your report soon. I love reading about others' travels. I'm hoping to either stay at Pop next year or the new Art of Amination. Not too sure yet. I would love to stay in the new resort, but we'd have to stay in a standard Mermaid room and that's far away from the food court. We'll see.

 

[archdandy]

Let us know how her trip went! I went to Quebec for my grade 8 graduation trip many years ago and I loved it! Your tip envelopes are so cute! I think I might do some for our trip too.

 

[Victoriasmom98]

Hi Everyone!!! We have had extremely nice weather all week long! No rain or showers whatsoever and warm! My husband had taken this week off to get the addition build on our house (we are going to have a sunroom where the hot tub will be located) and it was Victoria’s school vacation week. Me? Well, I had to put my 40 hours in, but here I am on Friday with only 3 ½ more hours to go! Yay! I’ve been taking pictures of his daily progress, but my camera is at home and I’m at work, so I will have to post those later. It’s not going to be a huge addition…..I think he said 10ft by 12ft maybe? I don’t know, but it’s off the kitchen where our sliding glass doors are. Meanwhile Victoria’s big project has been to clean up her room. I’ve basically asked her to put in a bag all the toys, etc that she is donating to Goodwill. As of this noon, she still has her closet to do. Yes, we call her the procrastinator!

Victoria is definitely not my child….ok, well, biologically she is, but can you believe she did not keep up a travel diary during her trip to Quebec? Unbelievable!! And she hasn’t downloaded all her pictures yet! My goodness, she’s been home for one week now! What is taking her so long! I do have some that I will share. I would like to tell you where the different pictures were taken, but I can only guess. They were part of the tour group Jumpstreet. I can tell you some of the places they visited…..they stayed at the Hotel Clarion right in Quebec City. Friday night they visited Chateau Frontenac and stopped to see “La Fresque des Quebecois”.

Here is the description: The Mural of Quebecers is a sham whopping 420 meters in area at the corner of Notre Dame in the Petit Champlain district of Old Quebec . The completion of the fresco, which opened October 17, 1999, was supervised by experts as historians, geographers, and others. It restores itself over 400 years of history.
They went to the Universite Laval campus and ate dinner at Le Grand Café Quebec.

Here is the description of the Café: The Grand Café offers cuisine International Daily deliveries of fish, modern Italian cuisine, pasta updated, exotic salads and beef Western AAA aged home.
Enjoy the terrace of the most coveted Quebec City, with its breathtaking view of the Parliament, the armory and nearby parks!

Saturday they at breakfast at Le Parlementaire which is a restaurant in the Assemblee Nationale. Description: Le Parlementaire was inaugurated on December 4, 1917, and was called the Café du Parlement until 1970.
Designed by architects Omer Marchand and Georges-Émile Tanguay in the beaux arts style in vogue at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries, the restaurant is remarkable for its high ceiling, majestic columns, richly ornamental decor and contrasting colour scheme.
Le Parlementaire was originally a gathering place reserved for the Members, for National Assembly personnel and for the press. It opened its doors to the public in 1968. Over the years, it has welcomed many distinguished guests.
Witness to parliamentary social life, host of numerous State dinners and formal receptions and venue par excellence for Québec products, Le Parlementaire is unique among the region’s restaurants.

They also visited St. Anne shrine which is a beautiful cathedral church.

Also on this day they walked across the suspended bridge over the Montmorency Falls. She held her buddy’s hand all the way on this one and I can’t say that I blame her. That would scare me, too!

On Sunday before they came home they had quite a bit of free time at Les Galeries de la Capitale which is a shopping center with an indoor roller coaster! Can you imagine??! Compared to the ones in Disney, this is a mere kiddie ride!

She arrived home a little later than originally scheduled --- 7:30pm instead of 6pm and by then her mother was a mess. I just wanted my little baby home! I cried like a baby when I finally saw her! So happy she was home!

Back to all things Disney!! I was able to put another $100 down on the trip today. Only $787.82 to go! Ugh! So, I have about $100 to last me 2 weeks for spending money. Hopefully I won’t have to fill the gas tank more than once during this time! I do need a prescription, but the one I need is one of those $15 ones, so I’m good. I think. Although what I hadn’t expected was Victoria’s automatic shipment of ProActive. Now, I didn’t realize when we purchased the starter kit, we signed up for auto shipment monthly. No where in my paperwork did it say this, I swear! So, there was a $39.95 charge on my debit card that I wasn’t aware of at first. Good thing I keep an eye on my balances so I don’t overdraw. OMG! They actually bill you in 3 installments so the total of this shipment is $99.98!!!! Again, did not realize it would cost this much. Yes, I have since cancelled our membership to be effective after this shipment. I tell you, I better get the darn shipment since I’ve already paid 1/3rd of it! Arrrgggg!! Of course, now that I’ve cancelled my account, I don’t have access to see if/when the shipment was mailed out! I’ll give it a week and see what happens. When I called yesterday, I was assured that they don’t charge your card until the shipment has left the warehouse. We’ll see. Yes, I’m on a rant!!!

I finally got my hair cut. It’s about the same length, but now it’s layered all over to give it more volume. I really like it. I had it done at the salon in Walmart last night. I just couldn’t stand it anymore. Oh, while I was at Walmart, I found these really cute pair of pj’s of Marie from the Aristocats. And, get this ---- Only $7 marked down from $20! Go me, go me!

 

[DrMomof3]

Hi Ann!
I hope I can join in the fun. We're supposed to be going the week after you but might have to cancel still (don't feel sorry for us, we go more often than most mortals and it's my own bad budgeting for our taxes that is causing the question!). We usually go to Disney in August. Last year we went the same week that we're going this year but in 2010 we went the week you're going. I agree that it's hot but not crowded. There are often afternoon thunderstorms but they usually pass quickly, even if they are dramatic.

Amanda

 

[Victoriasmom98]

Hi Amanda!!! I am so very glad you are here!!! The more the merrier!!! OH, it's sad you may not make it the week after ours. I'm actually looking forward to the summer storms. They should be fun, right??

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

It’s so nice that you’re getting an addition put on to your house. Having a hot tub will be so nice! It looks like Victoria got to go to so many interesting places in Quebec. If I am not mistaken, I went to Les Galeries de la Capitale when I went to Quebec as a chaperone for my cousin’s class trip. Well, how many malls in Canada could possibly have roller coasters in them? Let’s see a picture of the new hair!

 

[DrMomof3]

Hi Amanda!!! I am so very glad you are here!!! The more the merrier!!! OH, it's sad you may not make it the week after ours. I'm actually looking forward to the summer storms. They should be fun, right??

We have some fun memories of dancing in the pouring rain from last summer!

Amanda

 

[lbuzz52]

I think 45 or 51 would be fine, but i personally LOVED where we were in 44. we were ground floor on the courtyard side. You couldn't have been much closer to the bus stop, quiet pool, etc, yet you were on the back side of the path so you didnt have all the traffic pass you on the way to OPR or the beach.

 

[archdandy]

Glad your DD made it home safe from Quebec! Awesome score on the PJs!

 

[Trinity524]

You make me want to go to Quebec!

 

[Victoriasmom98]

Well, we had a bit of a scare this past week....I got the dreaded letter from the IRS stating that we owed over $2,600 for tax year 2010. WHAT!!! ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME??!! I was so upset! I come home for lunch everyday and get the mail at that time. When I opened up that letter, I started shaking and got extremely upset. There is an IRS office here in Augusta, so off I went. I was crying --- those poor people at the IRS office. I was just thinking "OMG....we'll have to cancel the Disney trip, I did the taxes wrong, I can't handle money....on and on and on....." I was pretty much hysterical. After about 2 hours and many tears, the situation was fixed. The issue was Peter's company didn't complete the roll over of his IRA correctly, so it messed up our taxes. Now we only owe $169 which is a heck of a lot better! Thank God! I was still too upset to head back to work, so I took the afternoon off. Emergency averted.

This past Friday my friend Laurie and I went down to Manchester, NH for the CK Scrapbook convention Vendor Faire. I love that event! It's a whole lot of scrapbook vendors on display and selling various items. There are some vendors that let you "make and take" certain things and that's always fun. I was able to get some good deals and I got quite a few new ideas. They had quite a bit of Disney scrapbook supplies, so that was pretty cool. I'm already anxious to scrapbook a trip I haven't even taken yet. Yes, I'm obsessed. I can't help it!l


Well I promised I would download the photos of the addition going up on my house, so I'll post them now. I'm also posting my new pj's!

Oh, and Victoria found a really cool tshirt in Quebec, too!!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Shew! I would have freaked out too! I'm so glad it was solved and the scrapbooking sounds like a lot of fun! I have avoided it b/c I just have NO MORE time in my life right now and I'm sure I would get obsessed too!