~Snowbird Chat~

[Mndisneygirl]

I love my iPhone but it did take me a while to get used to the touch screen. It does EVERYTHING!! Plus I keep notes in it - my adrs, trip notes if I don't have my journal, calendar, it's all in there!!

I have done a couple spreadsheets - nothing too extravagant, I'm not that skilled in Excel. It's really more of a chart the way I do it! I put the parks, hours, parade/fireworks/shows schedule, along with our ADRs and what park we plan to go to all on one. Then I do another one with just ADRs and confirmation #s. I can cut that out and laminate it small so it fits in a wallet or pocket.

Sarah - Moderates - I really liked CBR. Never stayed at CSR or POFQ, but did like POR as well. CBR is so big and spread out, some people don't like that. But the theme is wonderful, as is the pool and food court. Avoid the sit down restaurant Shutters like the plague. The buses were a bit erratic for us, but it just seemed to be the day we were going to one park (can't remember which), we got about 3 Epcot buses before the park we wanted. We usually walked to the main bus stop. If you can figure out the route the bus takes around CBR, you can plan to get on early. The rooms are bigger there too. All have been redone in the past two years with either Nemo or Pirate themed rooms.
I understand that CSR has queen beds and a good food court too, the Pepper Market. If I recall, I read something about good bus service as well.
Good luck!! It sounds like a fun trip.
Got my hair cut tonight for the trip - I love short summer hair when it's hot!!!

 

[MindyLuvsMickey]

Cell phones-I also have an iPhone and don't have a clue as to how I lived without it. I does EVERYTHING!! I use it for work so much and I use it for pleasure. I'm making this post on my iPhone rift now.

Sarah- I've never stayed at the moderates but I would absolutely stay at CBR. Mt brother was there in 2006 and loved it and my sister is staying there next month. Rylan is dying to stay in a pirate room.

We have our dates for trip next year. DH took his vacation days for 11/26-12/4/2011. As soon as they open up the bookings, I'm headed in to AAA! We also will be headed down next June for my nephew's high school graduation.

 

[MAGGIED]

I was thinking last night about our Snowbirds....has anyone heard anything from Peach3s? I miss hearing from her!! I wonder if we can search her and see if she's on another thread? I loved hearing about their life over in the Middle East .....don't know what made her pop in my head...but it made me miss her....so if you are reading...Hey Peach3s!!!!! We miss you!!!

Its funny that you mention her because I just let Disco Dale out on the Nov board (gasp) and was thinking of her....

I love my iPhone but it did take me a while to get used to the touch screen. It does EVERYTHING!! Plus I keep notes in it - my adrs, trip notes if I don't have my journal, calendar, it's all in there!!

I have done a couple spreadsheets - nothing too extravagant, I'm not that skilled in Excel. It's really more of a chart the way I do it! I put the parks, hours, parade/fireworks/shows schedule, along with our ADRs and what park we plan to go to all on one. Then I do another one with just ADRs and confirmation #s. I can cut that out and laminate it small so it fits in a wallet or pocket.

Sarah - Moderates - I really liked CBR. Never stayed at CSR or POFQ, but did like POR as well. CBR is so big and spread out, some people don't like that. But the theme is wonderful, as is the pool and food court. Avoid the sit down restaurant Shutters like the plague. The buses were a bit erratic for us, but it just seemed to be the day we were going to one park (can't remember which), we got about 3 Epcot buses before the park we wanted. We usually walked to the main bus stop. If you can figure out the route the bus takes around CBR, you can plan to get on early. The rooms are bigger there too. All have been redone in the past two years with either Nemo or Pirate themed rooms.
I understand that CSR has queen beds and a good food court too, the Pepper Market. If I recall, I read something about good bus service as well.
Good luck!! It sounds like a fun trip.
Got my hair cut tonight for the trip - I love short summer hair when it's hot!!!

Another iphone lover here... never thought I would like all the features or that I would use them... but it is great!!!!

CSR is by far our favorite moderate resort.... we have stayed at all of them... we were at POR, CBR and CSR within the last year... CSR still wins for us... it is a big resort but the buses are great... we have never had to wait long, the queen beds are awesome.... and while some folks don't like the Pepper Market we love it... huge meals that can easily be shared... to avoid the 10% surcharge we get it to go and eat outside overlooking the lake... they have done a great job with the comfy furniture around the lake.. we had always stayed in the Cabanas but this last trip we stayed in the Castias and it was nice... We are staying at POR next trip ONLY becuase we can have 5 int he room

Cell phones-I also have an iPhone and don't have a clue as to how I lived without it. I does EVERYTHING!! I use it for work so much and I use it for pleasure. I'm making this post on my iPhone rift now.

Sarah- I've never stayed at the moderates but I would absolutely stay at CBR. Mt brother was there in 2006 and loved it and my sister is staying there next month. Rylan is dying to stay in a pirate room.

We have our dates for trip next year. DH took his vacation days for 11/26-12/4/2011. As soon as they open up the bookings, I'm headed in to AAA! We also will be headed down next June for my nephew's high school graduation.

When do they open up for 2011?


he's back.....

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Sarah...I know a few people with the EnV and they looove it!!! As far as mods, we haven't been to any...we've done Value and Deluxe....I wouldn't think that the baby will make a difference at all....they will bring in a crib or something on request if they need it.
Mindy~ Congrats on getting your dates!!!! How awesome for you!!! All the staff at our church have the iPhones...they all love it. Dh is a Blackberry man...he tried to switch to a Droid for his upgrade a few weeks back...needless to say, he's back to the Blackberry. He wants me to get one. I do like the feel of the phone, but geez....I really don't 'need' one....what a pickle....pathetic that this is one of my big worries in life right now. I really do agonize over things like this...I tend to research myself to death.
Sheree~ I love to get a haircut! In fact, last week, I told her to just trim it--it's so humid right now it's not gonna do anything. So, it's a little longer than I like, but at least it will not need a ton of product for a 'look'....but it's driving me nuts...it has grown into a layered bob almost...I reeeeeaaally want to cut the bottom back shorter and stack it up.......I just don't want to have to deal with it!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Hello Snowbirds

Shawna - Nope, haven't heard or seem anything of Peach3s. You can go to her profile and see if she's been on the DIS at all. . .

Mindy - Congrats on picking your dates for next year!

Sheree - I am thinking about cutting my hair!! It is driving me nuts! I think because it has been so hot & humid. Plus it's just too much to mess with once school starts back up and I am called in at 6:15am to substitute.

Sarah - We have stayed at all the moderates. This is our order of preference: CBR, POR, POFQ, CSR. So since you are wanting to try something new I would definitely recommend CBR!! Larger rooms, great bus service, central location, great food court, and the best pools!!

 

[Dancegrl624]

I am (not so) patiently waiting for the iphone to make its way over to Verizon. Tons of my friends have an iphone and I just love it. Tony just got a Blackberry a month or so again and I'm always stealing it whenever we're home together. I have the Envy 3 and it's a great phone, but no internet access. Technically, I should have a smartphone for work purposes. I'm always checking my email whenever I'm home!

As far as booking for next year.....2011 dates should be opening up the first week of August!

 

[snykymom]

Oh, and speaking of my brother, he and I were talking about the family trip next summer to Disney World. We're starting to talk hotels and we're looking at moderate resorts. It will be three rooms - my parents in one, Jeremy and myself in another, my brother, his wife and their... 9 month old? in the third.

-I'm tired of Port Orleans Riverside and would like to stay somewhere else.
-Port Orleans French Quarter IS the smallest... but it shares a bus with POR.
-Coronado Springs and Caribbean Beach Resort each have buses that drive around the resort... but they don't share buses to the parks.
-There is a good chance that my brother will have his own car and may drive his family in, at least in the mornings.

What do you all think? With a little tiny one, are we better off in the small resort? Or does it not matter? Would it be easier to be at a resort that doesn't share a bus?

Sarah, I'm a CSR girl. Now, I've never stayed at CBR, but the theming since their renovation just doesn't appeal to me. It's very "young" with all the pirate stuff going on. I find CSR has a more adult feel to it. Since the 9 month old is too young to care, I'd wait on CBR until the kid is older.

I like the queen beds at CSR. Some people prefer to have the double sinks at CBR, but since I only have a single sink at home, double sinks aren't a big deal to me.

CSR also has only 4 internal bus stops as opposed to CBR's 7. At CSR, in a non-peak period, I never had to wait more than 10 minutes for a bus to any park, and even at the final bus stop (at El Centro), never had to stand.

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Hello Snowbirds

Shawna - Nope, haven't heard or seem anything of Peach3s. You can go to her profile and see if she's been on the DIS at all. . .

Mindy - Congrats on picking your dates for next year!

Sheree - I am thinking about cutting my hair!! It is driving me nuts! I think because it has been so hot & humid. Plus it's just too much to mess with once school starts back up and I am called in at 6:15am to substitute.

Sarah - We have stayed at all the moderates. This is our order of preference: CBR, POR, POFQ, CSR. So since you are wanting to try something new I would definitely recommend CBR!! Larger rooms, great bus service, central location, great food court, and the best pools!!

you gonna cut it short... or just a shorter cut than what you have? didn't you do the locks of love?
Meghan~ Yep...you need it now!!! I think you would love it with as much as you are gonna have to be accessible to people with your business. Mike has to have his for that very reason....and he keeps his schedule and all his notes/memos on there...if I worked outside the home, I would definitely want a Blackberry. I want to go in soon and let them demo me a few and then think about it some more. I always do a 2 year contract and my phones last great...but after about a year and a half...I am ready for an upgrade! ha!! They know that by then either the batteries or going, or they have such great new stuff you HAVE to come get a new one!!!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

you gonna cut it short... or just a shorter cut than what you have? didn't you do the locks of love?

I'm not sure what I want to do with it! Last time (about 2 years ago) I had 12 inches cut off and I sent it to lock of love. It is now as long as it was before I got it cut off that time. Maybe longer. I'm not sure if I want to go quite as short as I did then. I just don't know!!!

 

[sarbah77]

I am (not so) patiently waiting for the iphone to make its way over to Verizon. Tons of my friends have an iphone and I just love it. Tony just got a Blackberry a month or so again and I'm always stealing it whenever we're home together. I have the Envy 3 and it's a great phone, but no internet access. Technically, I should have a smartphone for work purposes. I'm always checking my email whenever I'm home!

As far as booking for next year.....2011 dates should be opening up the first week of August!

Yeah, my enV Touch - which is different from the "normal" enV's (1, 2, and 3!) has internet capabilities. For as little as I've used it, it's great for me. Checking email is also a breeze on it... but it's certainly not as robust as an iphone or a Blackberry!

Thanks, everyone, for their opinions. My brother is just concerned about traveling with an infant (probably about broiling her, too, in the heat of July!), for ease of getting around a resort. Hey, even if we end up in POFQ, it'll be sort of different from POR!

 

[Dancegrl624]

you gonna cut it short... or just a shorter cut than what you have? didn't you do the locks of love?
Meghan~ Yep...you need it now!!! I think you would love it with as much as you are gonna have to be accessible to people with your business. Mike has to have his for that very reason....and he keeps his schedule and all his notes/memos on there...if I worked outside the home, I would definitely want a Blackberry. I want to go in soon and let them demo me a few and then think about it some more. I always do a 2 year contract and my phones last great...but after about a year and a half...I am ready for an upgrade! ha!! They know that by then either the batteries or going, or they have such great new stuff you HAVE to come get a new one!!!

I got my Envy last July and I'm already wanting a new phone! I think I'm due for an upgrade in March, so hopefully the iphone will have made it's way over to Verizon by then. That would be awesome!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

We were trying to wait for iPhone to go to Verizon, but DH just couldn't wait. We got ours about 1 year ago. AT&T is okay - but it doesn't work at my SIL's houses in VA or FL (near Clewiston). Oh well!

Meghan - when the booking opens up for 2011, is that the same time they release the room rates? A friend at work just asked me about it this a.m.! I told her I could find out easily! I know someone...

 

[crzyred]

I love my phone. Samsung Mythic. I considered getting an Iphone, but being the cheap person I am couldn't justify paying just to have an Iphone. My phone gets everything I wanted and I pay $10 a month for unlimited data/text messaging/internet...everything.

And thank the Lord for the internet on my phone. We've had horrific storms the past few days, but last night was the motherload. 70+ mph winds, pingpong sized hail, flash floods, funnels. Power went out about 7pm and came back on about 5am. So today was cleanup day, and naturally it's hot out. More storms coming tomorrow and friday.

I'd like to meet whoever is doing these stinking rain dances and beat them up....

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

I love my phone. Samsung Mythic. I considered getting an Iphone, but being the cheap person I am couldn't justify paying just to have an Iphone. My phone gets everything I wanted and I pay $10 a month for unlimited data/text messaging/internet...everything.

And thank the Lord for the internet on my phone. We've had horrific storms the past few days, but last night was the motherload. 70+ mph winds, pingpong sized hail, flash floods, funnels. Power went out about 7pm and came back on about 5am. So today was cleanup day, and naturally it's hot out. More storms coming tomorrow and friday.

I'd like to meet whoever is doing these stinking rain dances and beat them up....

No way!! That's just crazy!!! We are expecting rain today also..nothing like what you had! But for the last couple of hours, the thunder has been tremendous!!!! It just now, as I type this, started to rain...it's suppose to do this for the rest of the week....due to the Caribbean wave. Not a hurricane..just a storm producing wave. Whatever. I don't have to water our stuff, so bring it on! How was the trip?! We need some pics girl!!!!! you know we are living vicariously thru all of you vacationing this summer!!!

 

[Dancegrl624]

Meghan - when the booking opens up for 2011, is that the same time they release the room rates? A friend at work just asked me about it this a.m.! I told her I could find out easily! I know someone...

I'm going to say yes, but I'm not 100% sure.

 

[MAGGIED]

No way!! That's just crazy!!! We are expecting rain today also..nothing like what you had! But for the last couple of hours, the thunder has been tremendous!!!! It just now, as I type this, started to rain...it's suppose to do this for the rest of the week....due to the Caribbean wave. Not a hurricane..just a storm producing wave. Whatever. I don't have to water our stuff, so bring it on! How was the trip?! We need some pics girl!!!!! you know we are living vicariously thru all of you vacationing this summer!!!

I am with you.... rain everyday for about 30 minutes then I don't have to spend that time running all around my house watering everything....

Some storms came thru here last night... hard... but were gone within an hour so it wasn't so bad

 

[MAGGIED]

Had a fun night last night with Maggie and her friends... we watched Princess and the Frog then Phantom of the Opera. It was the first time some of her high school friends met her college friends... they all got along well... it was grat to see girls laying all over the family room eating cookies and talking about Princesses and which one they most resemble... lol

 

[Northern Disney Girl]

Hey Friends!

I think Disney is trying to give me a coranary - they have sent me 3 PINS over the last week!

We have decided that we are almost 100% positively going back to WDW NEXT AUGUST!!!!! It would be at the end of August/beginning of Sept for Natalie's 8th birthday!!!

I find myself on the computer so often these days pricing out different packages trying to make it work for either Ken and me or all of us to have a quickie trip to WDW some time this fall but the #'s just won't go low enough!!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

Hey Friends!

I think Disney is trying to give me a coranary - they have sent me 3 PINS over the last week!

We have decided that we are almost 100% positively going back to WDW NEXT AUGUST!!!!! It would be at the end of August/beginning of Sept for Natalie's 8th birthday!!!

I find myself on the computer so often these days pricing out different packages trying to make it work for either Ken and me or all of us to have a quickie trip to WDW some time this fall but the #'s just won't go low enough!!

That's awesome!!! I wish DH and I could go for F&W in the fall - I think it would kill the girls!

Paige just asked me yesterday when Natalie's birthday was and how old she was. I couldn't remember the date - I knew they were about the same age. What is the date?

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Oh Kim!!! How exciting! And you should beat the crowds for sure!! Just remember that Labor Day will be a 3 day weekend..that'll draw a crowd, other than that you should be good!!!