Solo day and family trip... two, two, two reports in ONE!

[bumbershoot]

I think renting a car makes a LOT of sense! I would go and "check-in" at PPH early and just leave your luggage in the car . . . . and then hotfoot it to MM. Worry about the luggage in the car later--you can park at PPH. So no parking charges. Then you can go out, do some food shopping if need be and bring your luggage up all at the same time! (and, at that point people will probably have left/checked out, so there will probably be closer parking spaces than first thing in the a.m.!)

Seriously good point. Thank you!



Wendylady, I'm sure I'll mention the Muppets thing when I get back. And we decided to take my computer, so if I'm still able to think, type, and not just pass out at night (or mid-day if the guys insist on going back to the room to swim (brr) or nap), you might hear about it quicker than that.


kaoden, forgot to answer. I thought about using one of their seats, but since our pickup time is super-late, I figured they'd be gone, and I don't want to risk that. And we like our seat, but right now we're really hoping we can find the carseat bag we have somewhere!



We got what I feel is such a good price. Mid-sized car for 17.95 per day! I was going to do the priceline bidding thing and try for 12 or something crazy like that, but time is getting short and auctions/bidding of any kind make me really really nervous. Can you tell I only "buy it now" on eBay? When I checked the day before yesterday, there was an economy car for 16.95, but then yesterday there was that mid-size. Nice! I created an account and then there was a compact for 16.95, the midsize, and an economy for 18.95! Crazy.

Of course, taxes and fees bring the total up, but we're still happy. It's just a bit more than the Disneyland Express was going to be, but we get more than just a trip to and from. (of course we can't forget gasoline!)



Questions:
*********
Last gas station near LAX?

Best way to get from LAX to Motel6 around midnight on a Friday?

*********

 

[toocherie]

Seriously good point. Thank you!



Wendylady, I'm sure I'll mention the Muppets thing when I get back. And we decided to take my computer, so if I'm still able to think, type, and not just pass out at night (or mid-day if the guys insist on going back to the room to swim (brr) or nap), you might hear about it quicker than that.


kaoden, forgot to answer. I thought about using one of their seats, but since our pickup time is super-late, I figured they'd be gone, and I don't want to risk that. And we like our seat, but right now we're really hoping we can find the carseat bag we have somewhere!



We got what I feel is such a good price. Mid-sized car for 17.95 per day! I was going to do the priceline bidding thing and try for 12 or something crazy like that, but time is getting short and auctions/bidding of any kind make me really really nervous. Can you tell I only "buy it now" on eBay? When I checked the day before yesterday, there was an economy car for 16.95, but then yesterday there was that mid-size. Nice! I created an account and then there was a compact for 16.95, the midsize, and an economy for 18.95! Crazy.

Of course, taxes and fees bring the total up, but we're still happy. It's just a bit more than the Disneyland Express was going to be, but we get more than just a trip to and from. (of course we can't forget gasoline!)



Questions:
*********
Last gas station near LAX?

Best way to get from LAX to Motel6 around midnight on a Friday?

*********

Molly--don't know about gas stations near LAX but I will have DBF (or ex-DBF--depending on day) try to do instructions on easiest way from LAX to Motel 6--is it on Disney Drive or????

 

[kaoden39]

You got a great price on the rental car. Can he sit in the car seat on the plane? It's been years since any of mine have been in car seats so I have no clue. My baby is 12. Argh I am getting so old.

 

[bumbershoot]

We're going to have to gate check the seat. Legally he could use it as a booster, but driving unfamiliar roads in an unfamiliar car after a long day of being awake, nearing midnight? Probably better to have him in the 5 point harness, LOL. (it converts from 5 point to a high back booster to a normal booster)

Cheryl, the address is 100 W Disney Way. Google tells me to do things like get to 105 then 605 then 5, and while it sounds complicated it's probably very simple. But who knows, right? Then it has us take Disney Way exit, left at Disney way, hotel.


Gotta go get groceries! For home, not for the trip.

 

[kaoden39]

Yes and being a California native I know that the safer the seat the better with or crazy drivers.

 

[toocherie]

We're going to have to gate check the seat. Legally he could use it as a booster, but driving unfamiliar roads in an unfamiliar car after a long day of being awake, nearing midnight? Probably better to have him in the 5 point harness, LOL. (it converts from 5 point to a high back booster to a normal booster)

Cheryl, the address is 100 W Disney Way. Google tells me to do things like get to 105 then 605 then 5, and while it sounds complicated it's probably very simple. But who knows, right? Then it has us take Disney Way exit, left at Disney way, hotel.


Gotta go get groceries! For home, not for the trip.

I will confirm with Steve--but I know that is the way he would go--at least the 105 and 5 part. Not sure if he takes the 605. It is very simple--the 105 basically has a route leaving from the airport and keeps you from having to drive on side-streets through a not-so-nice part of town. So it's a good thing.

 

[bumbershoot]

I will confirm with Steve--but I know that is the way he would go--at least the 105 and 5 part. Not sure if he takes the 605. It is very simple--the 105 basically has a route leaving from the airport and keeps you from having to drive on side-streets through a not-so-nice part of town. So it's a good thing.

Very good.

 

[travelmel]

Hola... just finished your solo trip

Hope you get your dream team sighting this time!

 

[bumbershoot]

I hope so too, and not just seeing them as they take off their Dreaming vests and walk away!



OK so the problem with trips is that you start out thinking "OK, hotel + airfare, I can do this." And then you go "oh yeah but then of course tax and resort fees and taxes on them."

And then suddenly you're looking at car rentals (instead of shuttles), gas stations, trips to Von's, you remember that you have to do something with your OWN car if you don't want the lovely brand of Hades it was to take public transportation to the airport (at least until the lightrail is done, I can't imagine doing that again for seatac ugh) and that costs money, and so on and so forth.

At least I have some quart sized ziplocks so i don't have to go buy those, too!

It's all those piddly little expenses that start adding up.

But yay for this time; I've been in charge of the $$ for about 2 years, but hubby just put his toe back in the water*, and he's put money for these things aside elsewhere, unlike me where I just put it in there mentally, and since he's overestimating AND remembering all these little things, it'll be good. I wasn't doing a bad job, I just don't always remember everything all at the same time every time, so it's nice to have him as a backup again.



*he made a really big, stupid mistake where a health care provider never got the check after we were reimbursed (or if you never paid the provider, is it just "imbursed"? that was another part of the big stupid mistake...a total different understanding of the flex plan than what you're supposed to do) by our flex account, and he never noticed the big cushion of money sitting there...just was constantly surprised, all summer long, at how much "extra" money there was, until the very end of the cushion when the health care provider called me and asked where his money was....hubby was booted from the accounting after that! But it's good he's feeling confident enough to step back in.

 

[travelmel]

I am a terrible accountant. I have extreme admiration for those of you who can budget.

 

[bumbershoot]

Talk about your last minute change! 50 minutes before midnight, pacific time, I cancelled our hotels.com reservation with Motel 6 (the time frame was the time that would result in a full refund, whew).

Why? Because hotwire had a 3.5 star for 55 bucks (base rate, taxes not included in it). Oh yeah...turned out to be....the Hilton.

Now right at the last moment I realized that Hilton and Hyatt (from betterbidding I was fairly sure that those were the two in the running at the 3.5 star mark) both have parking charges, youch. The very thing that made it possible to switch hotels, the rental car, has managed to up the costs, whoopsie. But hey, it's a much better hotel and it's not THAT much more, once the refund comes through, and that's all good.

So yay! Although it would have been nice to have a short-stay review of Motel 6, I think it'll be nicer to have a short-stay review of the Hilton.

 

[kaoden39]

I think so too.

 

[toocherie]

Molly: Your google map directions appear to be right. If you do have trouble and get lost feel free to call me (you have my cell, right?)

 

[bumbershoot]

Cheryl, can you PM me with the number?

 

[bumbershoot]

laundry laundry laundry, last minute checking on things.

must give DS a haircut (the professionals won't listen to me, and give him a perfectly acceptable "boy" cut, but it takes all the personality out of his lovely hair and I don't like that!), could give hubby one too (always takes one or two quick fix-it trips with the professionals, which gets annoying) so that pix will be acceptable. For when we're grand marshalls, get the dream suite, and win the "oops we didn't realize but we have One More DVC prize to give" prizes!!!!!!





Might have been good to get out of my PJs today, but then again, go back to the top and see the note about laundry laundry laundry!

 

[kaoden39]

I'm so excited for you. Your trip is just right around the corner.

 

[prettyprincessbelle]

Hope you're having a wonderful time, Molly!!!

 

[bumbershoot]

Checking in really quick. From a suite.

How'd we get a suite? Oh yeah, that's right, when we checked in this morning at 6:20am, we got picked to be the Big Kahuna family of the day.

We were anxious to get going, so E and I were waiting outside dealing with the Bell people storing our bags while R checked us in, so we didn't get the whole deal then, and we JUST now got back to the room after my guys went on Grizzly FIVE times and got absolutely totally soaked (I went 4 times with my poncho and only my hair is a bit spritzed...oh yeah...er, well, and my shoes are wet), but I hear that pictures, pins, balloons and leis are in our future.

Party party party....

 

[bumbershoot]

Oh, and I'm on the hotel's main wireless network, from the 14th floor. No charge, no wires needed, just turned on the computer and BOOM, online.

I know people are always curious about the wired/wireless setup, and this marks the second time we've gotten wireless without a single problem, even though the rooms aren't supposed to have wifi (though maybe suites are supposed to, but our first time here we weren't in one of these fancy rooms).

******

By the way, the Hilton near the Convention Center (got a sizzling hotwire deal on the one night at 11:30 pm on the 3rd) is snazzy and nice! We almost thought "gosh let's just stay here", but gosh I'm glad we didn't!

 

[Sherry E]

Oh, and I'm on the hotel's main wireless network, from the 14th floor. No charge, no wires needed, just turned on the computer and BOOM, online.

I know people are always curious about the wired/wireless setup, and this marks the second time we've gotten wireless without a single problem, even though the rooms aren't supposed to have wifi (though maybe suites are supposed to, but our first time here we weren't in one of these fancy rooms).

******

By the way, the Hilton near the Convention Center (got a sizzling hotwire deal on the one night at 11:30 pm on the 3rd) is snazzy and nice! We almost thought "gosh let's just stay here", but gosh I'm glad we didn't!

I trust that the suites at the PPH do not have poopy-smelling water in the bathrooms? I was surprised to see you had posted! I remembered you were at DLR this weekend, and figured you guys would be having so much merriment and fun that you wouldn't have time to check in with us! And you got Big Kahuna family! I was not aware of such a thing! That's great!!!

What do the crowds seem like? I have heard mixed reports - some say not that bad, some say very crowded.

Anyway, I can't wait for the full report w/ pictures when you get back and settled in!!