SWS flights - what would you do?

[Bobo912]

I know alot of people have issues with Delta but I fly them almost exclusively and am happy with them. I have changed planes a few times in SLC with delta and the gates were really close together, maybe 5 minutes to get from one to the other

Thanks, Tozzie. That is good to hear. I like the idea of flying though SLC. I read recently that it is one of the top 5 airports in the country.

 

[Bobo912]

Trip is booked! Waiting for Disney travel to call me back to make the flight arrangements. We'll be getting the $300 Visa gift card and $450 Costco Cash Card. Not bad. Also, as a returning guest, we had a choice of backpack or messenger bag for me and backpack or video game case for DS. He's got two backpacks, so I took the video game case for him. I have both the backpack and the messenger bag already, but my backpack has a hole in it, so I selected the backpack.

 

[Aunt Cawa]

Congratulations! That is a great deal you got. I hope you have a wonderful time. We thought the tour was great!

 

[sayhello]

Trip is booked! Waiting for Disney travel to call me back to make the flight arrangements. We'll be getting the $300 Visa gift card and $450 Costco Cash Card. Not bad. Also, as a returning guest, we had a choice of backpack or messenger bag for me and backpack or video game case for DS. He's got two backpacks, so I took the video game case for him. I have both the backpack and the messenger bag already, but my backpack has a hole in it, so I selected the backpack.

Congrats, Bobo912! You are so going to LOVE this trip!

Sayhello

 

[marcemch]

Trip is booked! Waiting for Disney travel to call me back to make the flight arrangements. We'll be getting the $300 Visa gift card and $450 Costco Cash Card. Not bad. Also, as a returning guest, we had a choice of backpack or messenger bag for me and backpack or video game case for DS. He's got two backpacks, so I took the video game case for him. I have both the backpack and the messenger bag already, but my backpack has a hole in it, so I selected the backpack.

Congrats on booking a second fun trip for 2011! Can't wait to hear all about both of them!

 

[Bobo912]

Thanks, everybody. Now I need to redirect all the email travel offers directly to the junk folder so I'm not tempted to book anymore vacations for 2011, or else, we'll be eating Ramen noodles for every meal.

Also, thanks to everyone for the advice. Just got a call from Disney travel and booked our flights for the day prior to the start of the trip. So the only thing left to do is book a hotel for the night and we should be all rested up for the start of our adventure.

 

[DisFan10]

Thanks, everybody. Now I need to redirect all the email travel offers directly to the junk folder so I'm not tempted to book anymore vacations for 2011, or else, we'll be eating Ramen noodles for every meal.

Also, thanks to everyone for the advice. Just got a call from Disney travel and booked our flights for the day prior to the start of the trip. So the only thing left to do is book a hotel for the night and we should be all rested up for the start of our adventure.

We did this trip a few years ago and really enjoyed it. I'm sure you will too!

Which flight did you finally book?

 

[Bobo912]

We did this trip a few years ago and really enjoyed it. I'm sure you will too!

Which flight did you finally book?

I booked the Delta flight that arrives in Phoenix at 11:47AM. If something goes wrong, we'll have a full day to figure out how to get to Phoenix in time to meet up with the group. Hopefully, all will go well and we'll have a nice relaxing evening before the tour kicks off.

Would love to hear some suggestions on free time activities and restuarants from those of you have have taken the trip. I know we'll want to do the ATV in Moab. I'll have to go back and re-read all the trip reports and posts on SWS. I've got the other big trip coming up first though - just two months from today - so I've got a lot to do.

 

[lb4747694]

Congrats on booking and for going earlier! Less anxiety before a vacation is always better ;-)

 

[DisFan10]

I booked the Delta flight that arrives in Phoenix at 11:47AM. If something goes wrong, we'll have a full day to figure out how to get to Phoenix in time to meet up with the group. Hopefully, all will go well and we'll have a nice relaxing evening before the tour kicks off.

Would love to hear some suggestions on free time activities and restuarants from those of you have have taken the trip. I know we'll want to do the ATV in Moab. I'll have to go back and re-read all the trip reports and posts on SWS. I've got the other big trip coming up first though - just two months from today - so I've got a lot to do.

For lunch on-your-own, I recommend ZAX, which is in the heart of downtown Moab. They have a big menu, but we opted for the All-You-Can Eat Gourmet Pizza, Soup and Salad Bar for $12.99 (I think it was only $11.99 a few years ago). They had about 4-5 different pizzas, 2-3 different soups and a very respectable salad bar. We left there STUFFED!

http://www.zaxmoab.com/

We did the Hummer tour, which was a blast! Others chose to do the ATV or horseback riding. Everyone had a great time.

 

[Bobo912]

Thanks, DisFan10. How far is downtown Moab from the lodge? Do you have enough free time at Red Cliffs to do more than one activity? Although, with the heat and dust one activity may be plenty and a little down time at the pool might be perfect.

Did anybody else get the offer from Disney Visa to earn 3X the usual rewards dollars for Jan -Mar? I got it in the mail earlier this week. The max you can earn is $100. So when I pay off the balance on the ABD I'll earn an extra $100 in rewards, plus the $50 or so I would have gotten anyway. That along with the Visa gift card and Costco card amounts to a decent savings. Paid the deposit with my Discover card and got 5% cash back (Jan - Mar 5% special is for travel and restaurants), so there's another $30. I love it when the credit card rewards work out that way. The last time I got an offer from Disney Visa, it came the day after I paid for a WDW trip.

 

[whiteside61]

We took this trip two years ago and also arrived a day early. We stayed at the beautiful Camelback Inn in Scottsdale ( and got a heck of a deal for this gorgeous resort). The kids loved the resort and especially the fabby pool. Plus there are all sorts of fun dining options in the town of Scottsdale or you can eat at the resort ( best breakfast we have ever had). We just rented a car for the one night and returned it at the airport in time to meet up with our group. Have fun!! You will love this trip!!

 

[marcemch]

I guess you can use your Disney Visa card points to pay for your ABD even if you book through Costco?
(I'm doing a major kitchen rennovation this year, and figure if I can charge a lot of purchases, it can help foot the bill for an ABD sometime!) With a Costco card, the Visa card offer from ABD (I hope they do it again next year!), AND Visa Points, it makes the post EBD ABDs so much more do-able!

 

[Bobo912]

I guess you can use your Disney Visa card points to pay for your ABD even if you book through Costco?
(I'm doing a major kitchen rennovation this year, and figure if I can charge a lot of purchases, it can help foot the bill for an ABD sometime!) With a Costco card, the Visa card offer from ABD (I hope they do it again next year!), AND Visa Points, it makes the post EBD ABDs so much more do-able!

The only difference I see between calling the Costco travel number and calling ABD directly is one automated menu where you select escorted travel and then select ABD and then the call goes to ABD and the rep asks for your Costco membership number. Other than that it's exactly the same. It's not like shopping at the store where your payment options are limited. I've used several different credit cards to pay at various times, but I don't think I've ever used my Costco Amex. If I decide on another ABD for next year, I'll definitely be waiting to see if they offer something like this again. You're so right - the rewards and offers add up and definitely ease the pain of not having the EBD.

 

[Bobo912]

We took this trip two years ago and also arrived a day early. We stayed at the beautiful Camelback Inn in Scottsdale ( and got a heck of a deal for this gorgeous resort). The kids loved the resort and especially the fabby pool. Plus there are all sorts of fun dining options in the town of Scottsdale or you can eat at the resort ( best breakfast we have ever had). We just rented a car for the one night and returned it at the airport in time to meet up with our group. Have fun!! You will love this trip!!

That's a beautiful resort. I'm afraid we're not going to find any good deals for our pre-night since it's the 4th of July.

 

[DisFan10]

Thanks, DisFan10. How far is downtown Moab from the lodge? Do you have enough free time at Red Cliffs to do more than one activity? Although, with the heat and dust one activity may be plenty and a little down time at the pool might be perfect.

Did anybody else get the offer from Disney Visa to earn 3X the usual rewards dollars for Jan -Mar? I got it in the mail earlier this week. The max you can earn is $100. So when I pay off the balance on the ABD I'll earn an extra $100 in rewards, plus the $50 or so I would have gotten anyway. That along with the Visa gift card and Costco card amounts to a decent savings. Paid the deposit with my Discover card and got 5% cash back (Jan - Mar 5% special is for travel and restaurants), so there's another $30. I love it when the credit card rewards work out that way. The last time I got an offer from Disney Visa, it came the day after I paid for a WDW trip.

I think the motorcoach ride took about 20-30 minutes between Moab and Red Cliffs Lodge. We still had some free time after our Hummer tour to enjoy the amenities at the Lodge (swimming and tennis), so I think you should be able to fit other activities in before dinner...

 

[DisFan10]

Would love to hear some suggestions on free time activities and restuarants from those of you have have taken the trip. I know we'll want to do the ATV in Moab. I'll have to go back and re-read all the trip reports and posts on SWS. I've got the other big trip coming up first though - just two months from today - so I've got a lot to do.

By the way, if you go to ZAX with others and have the all-you-can-eat pizza, soup and salad bar, I also recommend adding a bit of entertainment by doing a pizza eating challenge. Some of the adults and Junior Adventurers competed and it was a lot of fun. I guess it was somewhat unfair, but an adult won the challenge by eating 6 big slices of pizza...

 

[Bobo912]

By the way, if you go to ZAX with others and have the all-you-can-eat pizza, soup and salad bar, I also recommend adding a bit of entertainment by doing a pizza eating challenge. Some of the adults and Junior Adventurers competed and it was a lot of fun. I guess it was somewhat unfair, but an adult won the challenge by eating 6 big slices of pizza...

LOL. DS would be all over that challenge and could probably out eat most adults. Not sure I want him to try though. But it's a vacation, so we have to let ourselves overindulge a bit.

 

[sayhello]

Thanks, DisFan10. How far is downtown Moab from the lodge? Do you have enough free time at Red Cliffs to do more than one activity? Although, with the heat and dust one activity may be plenty and a little down time at the pool might be perfect.

Did anybody else get the offer from Disney Visa to earn 3X the usual rewards dollars for Jan -Mar? I got it in the mail earlier this week. The max you can earn is $100. So when I pay off the balance on the ABD I'll earn an extra $100 in rewards, plus the $50 or so I would have gotten anyway. That along with the Visa gift card and Costco card amounts to a decent savings. Paid the deposit with my Discover card and got 5% cash back (Jan - Mar 5% special is for travel and restaurants), so there's another $30. I love it when the credit card rewards work out that way. The last time I got an offer from Disney Visa, it came the day after I paid for a WDW trip.

I haven't seen the Disney Visa offer. Was it a specific to you type of offer, or did it seem to be for anyone? I'm probably buying a new couch in the next few days, and would LOVE to get extra Rewards dollars. It might almost be worth paying off most of my ABD at this point to get those extra dollars, too. hmmm...

I'm thinking the only chance you'd have to eat at this ZAX would be the lunch on your own after the Delicate Arch hike. They take you to Moab, and you have plenty of time for lunch & shopping before heading back to the Lodge. I'm pretty sure all of the activities pick you up & return you to the Lodge, not Moab. The Lodge is really out in the middle of nowhere. Which is not necessarily a bad thing!

Sayhello

 

[Bobo912]

Sayhello, the Visa offer was specific. I went to the link they sent and entered a code and from the code it recognized me. I usually use my Disney Visa only for Disney trips or if I'm trying to build up points for a trip and we didn't do an ABD in 2010 or go to WDW, so I hadn't used it in months. I imagine that's why I got the offer. It's 3X for every charge over $300 per month, so I'm going to pay off the ABD balance in one big charge in March.