September 2012

[BigDisneyOE]

Hi LizfromOz - we fly out from NZ on the 8th of September. AustralianKaren got a deal via AKL on her flights on AirNZ so might be worth checking to see if there is anything going there. I know AirNZ have deals onto the States here for around $NZ1599 ex-AKL this week (I think we paid about $1200 from memory - but that's the whole price divided by the travellers, kids were a bit cheaper).

We leave Anaheim on 23rd Sept to go on the DCL Wonder tho', so will just miss you.

AustralianKaren - the flight price difference could be the deal you got that week you booked and now they are up to rack rate again. You got a Sky Bed deal right?

I'm going to raid the dry cleaning bags at hotels now too. Husband laughed when I told him and said 'that'd work'.

I've been buying a few things at the Kathmandu sales this week, got a great reversable skirt in fire orange - two skirts in one cuts my packing down and a cool travelling handbag. Of course I'm testing all these on my 10 days solo in Thailand in March just to make sure they are good. If not, I'll just have to buy something else!

 

[LizfromOz]

Thanks for the advice, just had a look and AirNZ for our dates is around $1900 each for our dates. I rang to find out if there were any specials coming up, and the lovely lady I spoke to said she didn't know, they weren't told in advance, but then said NOT to book yet, I would leave it a few weeks if I were you. Hmmmm, sounds promising!

We are actually spending a few days in Los Angeles and then driving up the coast to Cambria for 2 nights to visit Hearst CAstle and have a look around the area. We are then going on a cruise to the Mexican Riviera on Carnival Splendor before finally arriving at Disneyland. I like to save the best til last.

My DH and I took our girls to the US in 2009 on a 'trip of a lifetime', but we had such a great time and missed out on a few things, not to mention the Carsland construction, World of Colour and Ariel's adventure that they were building when we were there, that we just had to start saving to come back. I can't wait!!

Thanks for putting up with my raving on, once I get started I find it hard to stop!

Take care, happy planning

Liz

 

[ExcitedSam]

Lizfromoz - we will be at the park vue from the 23rd sept!! Well that's the plan anyway. We are yet to book anything, holding out for a better deal on flights too, but I think thats pretty locked in for us, we will be flying in on the 23rd, unless it is a lot cheaper the day before or after anyway. We are taking our DD's who will be 9 & 4 and staying until the 28th I think.

 

[BigDisneyOE]

Oh LizfromOz - I'm on the Carnival Splendor in April next year with a girlfriend on the exact same cruise, so I'm going to want to hear all about it from you! It's our girlie break, how lucky am I? Two trips to Disney in less than six months!! Then we won't probably go overseas for another three years as we will be saving for a huge African holiday and that's not cheap.

 

[LizfromOz]

Lizfromoz - we will be at the park vue from the 23rd sept!! Well that's the plan anyway. We are yet to book anything, holding out for a better deal on flights too, but I think thats pretty locked in for us, we will be flying in on the 23rd, unless it is a lot cheaper the day before or after anyway. We are taking our DD's who will be 9 & 4 and staying until the 28th I think.

I'm ok to fly either day before or after as well if the price is right too! I hope we can book soon, shouldn't be too long (fingers crossed). You will probably be able to pick us out from the crowd in the breakfast room at Park Vue, I'll be the one with one smiling 7 yr old DD and one surly-looking 14 yr old DD. She won't be happy because she won't have 24hr access to her mobile phone.

I'll let you know if I come across any flight deals.

Liz

 

[LizfromOz]

Oh LizfromOz - I'm on the Carnival Splendor in April next year with a girlfriend on the exact same cruise, so I'm going to want to hear all about it from you! It's our girlie break, how lucky am I? Two trips to Disney in less than six months!! Then we won't probably go overseas for another three years as we will be saving for a huge African holiday and that's not cheap.

Goodness, you sure are lucky! I believe life is too short to not have any fun, so good on you! I am really looking forward to this cruise, it will be our first and I'm sure we will have a ball. I can't believe how much cheaper cruises from the US are compared to Australia - we couldn't afford NOT to go, hey?

Cheers, Liz

 

[Aust]

It's far too early to be thinking about what to pack, but I keep buying our little boy clothes for the trip - so far a Buzz hat, a Mickey rash vest, and today I got 3 Buzz shirts at Target reduced to $6 each, bargain! I better find some more bargains as my eldest daughter told me yesterday during a hypothetical 'what should we do when we go to DL next' conversation (as this is a surprise trip) that she really really wants to do the Fantasmic dessert package, whcih I wasn't planning on, and multiplied by 5 it's not cheap - oh well, better do some more saving.

 

[WAMUMOF4]

It's far too early to be thinking about what to pack, but I keep buying our little boy clothes for the trip - so far a Buzz hat, a Mickey rash vest, and today I got 3 Buzz shirts at Target reduced to $6 each, bargain! I better find some more bargains as my eldest daughter told me yesterday during a hypothetical 'what should we do when we go to DL next' conversation (as this is a surprise trip) that she really really wants to do the Fantasmic dessert package, whcih I wasn't planning on, and multiplied by 5 it's not cheap - oh well, better do some more saving.

Dont you the "hypothetical" conversations little do my kids know everytime they tell me what they want to do next time i am trying to pencil it in to a trip they know nothing about today we were watching Steven Fry's across America and ds11 was jumping up and down telling me Mum thats where i want to go next time we go (MT Rushmore) i really had to control myself to not say ok how about August
Happy saving for the Fantasmic dessert package

 

[BigDisneyOE]

It's far too early to be thinking about what to pack, but I keep buying our little boy clothes for the trip - so far a Buzz hat, a Mickey rash vest, and today I got 3 Buzz shirts at Target reduced to $6 each, bargain! I better find some more bargains as my eldest daughter told me yesterday during a hypothetical 'what should we do when we go to DL next' conversation (as this is a surprise trip) that she really really wants to do the Fantasmic dessert package, whcih I wasn't planning on, and multiplied by 5 it's not cheap - oh well, better do some more saving.

Never too early to start thinking about packing. In September I bought my boys some shirts for the cruise and they got Jake & The Neverland Pirates t-shirts from the Disney shop online for their birthdays, a size up so they can wear them this September. The kids are talking about all the things they want to do as well, but having never been to Disneyland it's conversation verging on the surreal!

 

[austraveler]

I have not been on the DIS since our big trip last September. It was just too miserable to read about all the exciting trips when we had nothing happening. I am now back in full planning mode, working on a school holiday trip to New York, with a stopover in San Francisco one way ( to see family) and LA the other way to go to Disneyland!
My boys have been to WDW before but never DL so they are pretty excited. Since we are only planning to be in LA for a couple of nights, I am toying with staying on site, but am still undecided.

Any tips for NY activities and restaurants with three tween boys? Also any tips on where to stay in NY?

 

[aussietravellers]

Any tips for NY activities and restaurants with three tween boys? Also any tips on where to stay in NY?

Congratulations on another trip

I can recommend Doubletree Guest Suites in Times Square in NY. It's a great hotel, reasonably priced (for NY), great location, great sized rooms (particulary for three tween boys). We loved our stay there and wouldn't hesitate to stay there again.

 

[australiankaren]

ok,

so i have changed the trip again......

seriously, my head hurts, and the DH just nods now when i try to tell him the latest plans..

so
9 nights BLT
2 nights pop
5 nights LA
1 night vegas
7 nights freedom of the seas...

All airfares booked and paid, so cant change them
vegas accom paid
BLT paid
Pop paid
LA accom booked
freedom deposit paid
car hire booked
travel insurance done

now all i have to do is wait......

so total savings at last count $5145 usd........ so my has been totally worth it.

roll on hawaii in 24 sleeps.....

 

[Melbourne5]

Any tips for NY activities and restaurants with three tween boys? Also any tips on where to stay in NY?

Hi
We stayed at doubletree times sq in oct 11 with our 3 boys. It's a terrific spot and very close to all the action.
Some activities,
Broadway shows ( we saw Priscilla - a touch of home!)
Central park ( pedicab, horse drawn cart or walk)
30 rock - for viewing skyline
Hudson river cruise to see statue of liberty and manhattan skyline
The red or blue hop on hop off bus for touring the city
American museum of natural history near central park for dinosaurs
Shopping - it's everywhere and the kids love it

Dining
Planet hollywoood
Bubba gump
Red lobster
Were our favorites.

 

[Mama loves planning]

Just wanted to share with you like minded people...
We live in Sydney and today about midday we were heading through the airport tunnel, just at the very same time as the Delta plane heading for LA was taking off, right over our car. (My kids associate Delta with WDW as we flew with them in 2010 and I'm sure that they believe that is their sole destination!)
Both kids started screaming and yelling hysterically. I was wondering what the hell they were doing and was lucky not to run off the road because I was frantically staring in the rear vision mirror at them. They started yelling, 'don't go without us! We want to go to Disneyworld...Delta...Deeelllllltttttaaa come back...come back'! Too funny! Little do they know we have booked and are going in September, but we aren't letting them in on our little secret!

 

[WAMUMOF4]

Just wanted to share with you like minded people...
We live in Sydney and today about midday we were heading through the airport tunnel, just at the very same time as the Delta plane heading for LA was taking off, right over our car. (My kids associate Delta with WDW as we flew with them in 2010 and I'm sure that they believe that is their sole destination!)
Both kids started screaming and yelling hysterically. I was wondering what the hell they were doing and was lucky not to run off the road because I was frantically staring in the rear vision mirror at them. They started yelling, 'don't go without us! We want to go to Disneyworld...Delta...Deeelllllltttttaaa come back...come back'! Too funny! Little do they know we have booked and are going in September, but we aren't letting them in on our little secret!

that is so cute.

DS11 and i tried to talk DH into letting us get on a plane to LA this week when we were in Melbourne instead of Perth but we had no luck

Today when i was on the DCL website i discovered that a category up was cheaper than what i booked so i rang them as the website wouldn't let me change it and they changed it for me we only save $200 and i had to take a GTY but the CM told me there was a very good chance we will get upgraded.

 

[australiankaren]

that is so cute.

DS11 and i tried to talk DH into letting us get on a plane to LA this week when we were in Melbourne instead of Perth but we had no luck

Today when i was on the DCL website i discovered that a category up was cheaper than what i booked so i rang them as the website wouldn't let me change it and they changed it for me we only save $200 and i had to take a GTY but the CM told me there was a very good chance we will get upgraded.

hey

take the GTY...save the $200 and get upgraded (possibly)...win win...
think of the things you can buy with $200usd or $204 AUD
God I'm loving the aussie dollar right now...

 

[WAMUMOF4]

hey

take the GTY...save the $200 and get upgraded (possibly)...win win...
think of the things you can buy with $200usd or $204 AUD
God I'm loving the aussie dollar right now...

We are taking the GTY only thing is that now we need another cabin i wont have any control over whether they are together or not.

Good bye 2 weeks at DL hello to my nightmare
DH has found out today he has to take a whole extra rotation off as they dont allow them to fly home a day early i already had to change their flights as he was coming home to his week off so now he will end up with us for most of the trip that bit is great but he doesnt want to spend so much time in DL so now i am back to the drawing board of working out that part of our trip so far i will loose $400 for not using the return leg to DFW and pay out an extra $600 for car hire and at least $1400 to change their flights

 

[Aust]

When I booked our flights I forgot my eldest would Year 5 school camp this year - we found out the dates today - 19th to 21st September - our flight out is 20th September. How annoying! we don't want her to miss out on the camp so will see if the school minds if we pick her up early on the morning of the 21st, then see if we can shift the flights by one day (and then hotel booking, transfers etc). Hope she appreciates the extra $300 it will cost us in flight change fees.

 

[meandmygirl]

Flights are booked with Air NZ - Bris-Auckland-LA, Park Vue Inn booked and Hojos booked. Now to pay off the Disney cruise and save, save, save that spending money

I am hoping to do this trip for under $12k - on track so far.

 

[WAMUMOF4]

Flights are booked with Air NZ - Bris-Auckland-LA, Park Vue Inn booked and Hojos booked. Now to pay off the Disney cruise and save, save, save that spending money

I am hoping to do this trip for under $12k - on track so far.

Congratulations on booking.
Under $12k wow i wish our airfares are over $9000 and our Disney cruise is $9800