Sorry kids! We're going to the DARK SIDE!

[mrsabbott]

Only 11 MORE FRIDAYS TO GO!!!!!

It doesn't seem real! Time just seems to be flying by!

So, someone on another thread said that the Spring Break crowds aren't that bad.. This gives me hope! The crowds were one of my biggest concerns. Not that I'm impatient, but Hubs doesn't always do so great with crowds.

He can handle them for a little while, but it quickly causes him anxiety. He hasn't said anything about dreading it, but I know that it will bother him. An an anxious Hubs is a cranky Hubs.. We did go to the zoo a couple months back on a day where the rest of the world decided to go too. He lasted most of the day but that last hour got to him and he was ready to go.

My other concern is Buds. My girls have always been pretty good at sticking close when we go places. Buds, on the other hand, sees something that catches his eye and he is off! He's quick too! I'm actually thinking of getting a "kid leash" just in case. I used to think those things were awful until I had Buds!

 

[jfoofj]

Hi there... I just read your trip report... I'm a vacation planner too... sometimes I will go to Disney's site and "book" the most expensive vacation I can create then the least expensive one. I've always said I want to stay in each Disney resort at some point in my life- kind of a bucket list. Ahhhh, if only I had an unlimited credit card I didn't have to ever pay back. The fun I could have.

Anywho... have you looked at Land's End for bathing suits? I've found their tankinis (I call them mom-kinis.... I only had one c-section but I've never gotten my abs back the way they were) to be very flattering and I've bought mine on sale with free shipping. I don't know what they are currently offering now, but I love my Land's End suits. I don't think it will be warm enough for me to venture into the water when we go... but I will bring a suit just in case!

 

[mrsabbott]

Hi there... I just read your trip report... I'm a vacation planner too... sometimes I will go to Disney's site and "book" the most expensive vacation I can create then the least expensive one. I've always said I want to stay in each Disney resort at some point in my life- kind of a bucket list. Ahhhh, if only I had an unlimited credit card I didn't have to ever pay back. The fun I could have.

Anywho... have you looked at Land's End for bathing suits? I've found their tankinis (I call them mom-kinis.... I only had one c-section but I've never gotten my abs back the way they were) to be very flattering and I've bought mine on sale with free shipping. I don't know what they are currently offering now, but I love my Land's End suits. I don't think it will be warm enough for me to venture into the water when we go... but I will bring a suit just in case!

I haven't looked into Land's End.. but I will!! Thanks for the tip!

So, we got Bessie back yesterday! It's nice to have MY CAR back! I've got to say, it drives amazing now! Hubs drove it this morning (girls had today.. their first game!) and said he couldn't really tell a difference but I could. I think it felt smoother and it seems like the gas mileage is a little better! Not a lot.. but some!

REALLY looking forward to vacation! Seriously, I'm REALLY looking forward to it. 10 weeks and 6 days!

 

[jfoofj]

SO- my truck (GMC Envoy- we call it the "Mom-voy") is at the mechanics! I am feeling your pain. Thankfully my mom has two cars- she has a company car for her work which she can drive all the time, and she has an old Volvo that's been paid off forever, but she won't let it go. She calls it "Old Faithful" and she keeps it because if anything ever happens with her job (or if one of her kids is without a vehicle suddenly ) it comes in real handy. SO- I am driving my moms car while my truck is figured out. It was leaking fluid- power steering fluid my husband figured out, and there seems to be an issue with the electrical system. Now it wouldn't start- which I'm not too surprised about because it has been FRIGID up here and it is an old battery. We have a good friend who works at a local dealership and he also works on vehicles at his home. I dropped it off to him and said he could keep it as long as necessary- no rush since we are leaving for vacation Wednesday and I have access to another car. He is going to see what it needs and hopefully be able to get the parts cheap. He is VERY fair when it comes to labor too, but that is one bill I hate to have hovering over my head while we are away on vacation.

 

[mrsabbott]

"Mom-voy"!! Love it! lol!
Glad you have a loaner to use and will be able to get a good deal on the repairs.

Home sick today. Fever on and off. Achy body. Definitely not fun.

Hubs mentioned wanting to go to a race in St.petersburg while we are in Orlando but thankfully we will not be going. I know Hubs lives and breathes racing and we do the Indy 500 every year and it's fun.. Just not what I want to do on our vacation. Told him if he really wanted to go, he could rent a car and go and I'd take the kids to Downtown Disney that day. But he decided it would be too much. I'm glad. Maybe another year.

 

[mrsabbott]

Feeling better today, but stayed home again from work. Thought I needed one more day of rest and to make sure my fever is gone for good. I take care of babies and don't want to spread any germs if I can help it! We have one baby that just got over RSV and I want to be extra cautious.

Still haven't made a decision on a swimsuit. Thankfully, I'm only a lb away from from my pre-Christmas weight and am starting an exercise routine tonight. Still time to make my goals before vacation!

 

[mrsabbott]

So, I was reading RachelleBeaney's trip report and saw in her pictures that there is a Pearl Factory at Universal!! I had read about the one at Epcot and wanted very much to do it way back when we were trying to plan a Disney trip! I just wrote it off as a "maybe next time" kind of thing! But NOW...

It might still end up being a "maybe next time" thing, as I have to be conservative with money on this trip. But it would be SO COOL to do that! I have pearl necklaces and earrings and was thinking I'd love a pearl ring.. How cool would it be that I would design it myself?

We shall see. I'm excited about the possibility though!

 

[macraven]

you'll you find that at IOA.

 

[mrsabbott]

So, I spent a ridiculous amount of time researching pick a pearl and pearl factory. Lots of YouTube videos, dis threads, pics, and reviews. I've come to this conclusion.. I think that I will splurge on getting a pearl but I am going to wait on setting it.
The girls were also intrigued by this and I saw that there were cute pearl cages on etsy for cheap. I think we will look into deciding what to do with them later.. And the girls may change their minds on doing the pearl thing. As for me, I'm so excited I'm wearing my pearls with my scrubs at work today..

 

[mrsabbott]

ONLY TEN MORE WEEKS TO GO UNTIL OUR VACATION!!! AAAACK!! I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW QUICKLY TIME IS FLYING BY!!!

 

[mrsabbott]

So, it is now only 9 weeks and 6 days.. We're practically in the single digits now!

Babysat today and earned $50 towards our vacation fund!

I've also started reading Chamber if Secrets again.. Figure I will work myself through the series over the next few weeks to get myself in the mood! Read Sorcerer's Stone not long ago. Tonight, I'm going to make myself an adult Butterbeer Latte before bed. Hubs and I are going to finish watching Xmen First Class, I think! Not sure if it's a Universal movie, but I know that they have the whole Superhero section of the park!

Time will be flying by and there is so much to plan and do!

Not counting the gift cards or the kids' spending money, we have roughly $700 in our vacation fund. I did have to use some money out of there for a few things.. Hopefully, I will get to babysit a few more times.

This money is for food, activities, and some souvenirs.. Gas money and lodging along the way won't be in this budget I don't think. Part of our food budget will be our regular weekly food budget. The kids are excited because I said I was going to buy pop tarts. Lol! I never buy those. I said that I was going to buy some things I don't normally get since we will be on vacation and was taking suggestions. Pop tarts, Cocoa Puffs, fruit snacks, toaster strudels, cheez its, and rainbow goldfish crackers were what was requested.

 

[Lynne G]

Yep, vacation is for fun snacks. We like fish, mini donuts, Cheerios, and pretzels. We also supplement with a ice cream or other snack while in the parks. We love the popcorn and usually refill the bucket more than once during our stay.

That is great you are stocking up on the funds. Any amusement park is expensive.

For a treat, try Mythos for lunch and a restaurant in Citywalk for dinner one day. Sit downs are nice to go to a few times on vacation.

My ticker is still in months. We got back two weeks ago, and it feels so long ago already!

Hope you are having a good week end.

 

[mrsabbott]

Yep, vacation is for fun snacks. We like fish, mini donuts, Cheerios, and pretzels. We also supplement with a ice cream or other snack while in the parks. We love the popcorn and usually refill the bucket more than once during our stay.

That is great you are stocking up on the funds. Any amusement park is expensive.

For a treat, try Mythos for lunch and a restaurant in Citywalk for dinner one day. Sit downs are nice to go to a few times on vacation.

My ticker is still in months. We got back two weeks ago, and it feels so long ago already!

Hope you are having a good week end.

This past week was okay.. had a virus run through the house (starting with me) but thankfully it was all short lived!

We do plan to buy some things to eat in the parks to supplement what we will bring with us.. I looked into Mythos and there are some delicious looking vegetarian options there, but I'm not sure if we want to spend our money there or not. Definitely tempted to eat there though, as I've heard such good things about it! We will eat out at T-rex on our Downtown Disney day and we're going to Medieval Times one night to celebrate Boo Bear's 6th birthday.

We got our confirmation email from WWFS!! They actually offered us free airfare BUT flying gives Hubs such anxieties that we aren't going to attempt it. I asked Hubs if he would rather fly instead of drive and he gave me "the look".. and said, "Did you really need to ask me that question?" So yeah.. we're driving.

I realized that I never put faces with names.. Always meant to go back and do that!

This is Hubs and I!

These are the Kiddo's.. taken this past Halloween!

 

[Nicki501]

Hi Mrsabbott! You an your family are gorgeous! I am enjoying reading your pre-trip report and I am looking forward to your trip report. I am interested in the ways you plan to save money on this trip. I wanted to add 3 days after our cruise in August. I actually had sticker shock and thought I put in the wrong info, when I saw the price . It cost more to stay on site for 3 days than it does for my cruise. So I am looking at alternative ways to make it happen.

My DH doesn't do well with crowds either so I am hoping the middle of August has mercy on us.

But staying in a condo sounds sweet! Lots of space. There are six of us too (Me, DH, DSD (16), DS (9), DD (8), DS (5)) but we will be cramming into a hotel room to save money.

Can't wait to read more. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Lynne G]

Hi Mrsabbott! You an your family are gorgeous! I am enjoying reading your pre-trip report and I am looking forward to your trip report. I am interested in the ways you plan to save money on this trip. I wanted to add 3 days after our cruise in August. I actually had sticker shock and thought I put in the wrong info, when I saw the price . It cost more to stay on site for 3 days than it does for my cruise. So I am looking at alternative ways to make it happen.

My DH doesn't do well with crowds either so I am hoping the middle of August has mercy on us.

But staying in a condo sounds sweet! Lots of space. There are six of us too (Me, DH, DSD (16), DS (9), DD (8), DS (5)) but we will be cramming into a hotel room to save money.

Can't wait to read more. Thanks for sharing.

To save money on your hotel, use the Loews website or call the hotel directly and ask for any discounts. Mostly, the Royal Pacific is the cheapest hotel onsite, and the free unlimited express pass with the onsite hotels will be valuable this summer, as it may be even more crowded as the new Harry potter section should be open by August. Also, the three onsite hotels also sometimes have annual pass discounts. You can check closer to August and use the code APH to see any discounted rooms. Also, if you book directly with the onsite hotel, if I find a better price, I call directly and they just adjust with no issues. Finally, if those hotels are too expensive, try the neighbor hotels. They will give you early entry to the parks, and some have free breakfasts.

If AP rates on the hotels are a good price, only one person needs the AP, and the AP will give discounts on food and merchandise.



Back to the TR.

 

[macraven]

with nicki having 6 in her family, the Cbay (when the larger rooms open) would be the only place on site that book larger groups.

rph and the other 2 only allow 5 in a room.

there are offsite condos that do allow larger groups in their rooms.

 

[mrsabbott]

Hi Nicki! Thank you and welcome!
Echoing what others have said, while there are some deals and perks to staying on site, I've found it is just all around cheaper to stay off site. Especially if you are a larger family on a budget. We were fortunate enough to be gifted lodging and park tickets via WWFS, otherwise our vacation wouldn't be happening this year..

But in my research, I have found some amazing condo deals at Windsor Hills. I'm on my phone at work (I'm slacking, but it's naptime for the kids..) so I can't post the link now, but I will later. If you are willing to wait until "last minute" you can get condos and town homes for as low as $299 a week! We were going to go that route and may again someday. A condo seems ideal during down times. More rest and privacy in the evenings. Full kitchen and fridge for cooking. On site laundry at no extra costs. Plus, many places have nice pools and things for when you are taking a break from the crowds!

Hubs is a medically retired vet, so we are also still eligible for military discounts, which is also a huge money saver for us. Sometimes there are better discounts available, but I always compare and get savings where I can.

We never fly anywhere, which is a money saver. I actually like road trips because, for me, part of the fun is getting there. Yes, there is gas and wear and tear in your car, but it's still cheaper then flying and, unless you are staying onsite (also expensive) you'd need to rent a car. Not only that, by driving you can bring food with you.. Also saves money! Picnic at a nice rest area along the way.. We've done that numerous times in our travels.

We have simple tastes and don't need a ton of "stuff". I want a few things from WWoHP, a magnet for our fridge, and a pearl. The only other souvenir I need is pictures taken with my camera and memories made with my kids. I want to stay someplace safe and clean.. And I'd like to eat out once or twice as a treat. I don't care to cook some it to give up the extras.. Just getting to go is enough for me, anything else is a bonus.

I will definitely do a break down if costs when we're done..

That said, I've heard that as far as vacations go, cruises give you more bang for your buck. We're looking into it for our 14th anniversary. Just for Hubs and I..

 

[schumigirl]

Nice pics Mrs A.........lovely kiddies

 

[mrsabbott]

Nice pics Mrs A.........lovely kiddies

Thank you! I think they're pretty cute..

Soooo... on my way home I got a call from WWFS clarifying a few things and was informed that in addition to Universal, Sea World, and Wet n' Wild we will also get to go to LEGOLAND!!

That changes our ENTIRE trip schedule, so I'm going to have to replan the entire week! The kids were SO EXCITED when I came home and told them! I spent some time looking on the website and I really think that Buds will really enjoy this park a lot!

 

[Nicki501]

It will be interesting to see a cost analysis of your Dark Side Adventure. My husband was in the military also, I wonder if there are any military discounts on tickets that we may be able to take advantage of.

I am definitely going to look into Windsor Terrace and some of the other advice here.

My husband doesn't like to fly either. We compromise. We will drive everywhere except when we go to Florida, we will fly there and drive back in an effort to maximize our time (we are coming from NY). I like road trips also, I like to stop overnight as well (more for my sanity than anything else).

My husband wanted to extend our vacation with a few days at a couple of Disney parks, but when I explained the changes to him a la FP+. He said absolutely not. There have been a lot of complaints on the boards about FP+. So I'll wait until they figure it out before I go back to WDW.