The Disneyland Snowball Effect

[Kayla's Mom]

Tell us how you visited a Disney message board to just get a little bit of info on Ridemax and then 1-1/2 years later, ended up becoming a moderator on that board because you posted so darn much (Oops! That's me!).

That is so funny Sherry!

 

[Brady's Mom]

Here's mine! Up a few posts is the beginning of my snowball story. Here is a continuation.

We went to DLR in Dec. 08 and I had a pretty good time. But, DH didn't have as great a time as he would have liked. He had a personality clash with my parents who accompanied us. They were really not physically well enough for the pace of DLR in spite of an ECV and such. Also my niece was with us and that was a different sort of adventure. Sooooooo, he decided we needed a do-over trip.

We got a tax return big enough to pay for some AP's and had friends going to DLR in Feb. that were willing to buy the tickets at Costco for us. Since we weren't going until almost the end of May - we didn't want to take the chance that they wouldn't be available. So, we had DLR AP vouchers sitting in a drawer at home waiting for us to use them (they were very patient). We finally went in May, but not until after I had figured out a way to fly instead of drive and had actually ended up shortening our trip by 3/4 of a day. But, we didn't have to drive 11 hours each day - so it was worth it.

When we bought the AP's we decided we needed to go at least 2 times to make them worth it. So we planned a Sept. trip along with the May trip. Then in April I had a most brilliant idea. Since DH was turning 50 in July and he could get the lovely $69 gift card - we should go in July for his b-day. Woo Hoo! So we are up to 3 times now with our AP's. Although this trip for DH's b-day is just us!!!

To add to the fun for DH's b-day I also decided we should do Fantasmic dessert seating - despite mixed reviews and enjoy the show sitting in a chair with something to drink and some snacky things - and then be able to sit in the same chair and watch the fireworks - without jostling and jockeying for position! YAY - it seems like a win-win for me.

But, sadly, the trip in Sept. has had to be changed. I wasn't willing to brave the D23 convention crowds with people that possibly like/love DL and all things Mouse more than me. And I also wasn't willing to have spillover from Marathoners and Haunted Mansion Anniversary, so our trip was changed until Nov. 1-6. Not a bad time. We still get Halloween Decor for 1 day.

We are driving in Nov. (unless I can swing another $1000 for airfare and car rental) before we go. I only use saved money and never credit card our trips - so I would have to figure out a way to save a bunch more money. Hmmmm......I feel a snowball comin' on!!!

There is still talk around the dinner table of one more trip in Feb. ish before our AP's expire. But, our oldest son will be home from Taiwan in April, so we might forgo DLR and do something like Hawaii or something.

 

[bumbershoot]

Mmm, yeah, I might resemble that remark!

I'm sure my story is in here, but to get the ball rolling...

I ignored Disney in my 20s. In my 30s, with a 1 year old, we went to visit my wonderful brother and his terrific wife, who live in San Diego. While there, we figured "eh, might as well visit Disneyland for a day", so we did. I did some online stuff, though I don't know where other than a yahoo group, got some tips and hints so I was ahead of the game with our day.

The next year, we did the same one day trip. Both times scoffing heavily at DCA...a CA themed themepark in CA? Whateva'!

Well, that second day did it, and less than a year later we were making our way to CA. Part of the trip was for my HS reunion, but we took several days to be in Anaheim...3 or 4 nights at PPH with a package deal, upgraded to APs, spent 3 or 4 more days at HoJo with the ent rate. A very good trip. During that trip we had a 2 hour presentation with a DVC guide...we were tired and they had kidcare in another room, and we got a $50 giftcard, so it was good all around.

After spending a week at DLR, and falling MADLY in love with DCA, we couldn't help ourselves, and went again in December '07. After all, we had APs, right? Oh, and we'd upgraded b/c we figured we'd be back within the year to visit my brother, and surely we'd go for another ONE DAY trip, and a 5 day hopper plus a 1 day ticket was MORE than the AP. It just made financial sense.

Then that trip was so stressful, hubby put me on a plane in January for a quick solo trip.

Then a family trip in May '08 for DS's 4th birthday, since no one can attend his parties since people are always off camping for Memorial Day.

Then our APs expired. But a friend planned a trip to San Diego to see Madonna for her 40th birthday, and I ended that trip with a MUCH needed Amtrak ride to Anaheim and a long day spent gloriously alone in Disneyland/DCA, getting a new AP for myself.

Then we decided to go again in December '08, so hubby and son got APs again.

Then I went on the Divas trip in March '09. Where I had One More DVC presentation that pushed me over into pushing hubby over to the dark side...

Hubby bought DVC at the end of March, and we had Developer's Points (bonus points, in a way) that had to be used by early October, at either one resort in WDW or at a Disneyland Resort Hotel. Decisions, decisions.

So we "had to" spend DS's birthday there, so that was May '09, at DLH concierge (which I had sworn to NEVER do).

And just recently E and I spent 18 nights in So Cal, visiting with my brother, and a ONE day trip with brother and SIL to DCA (as they had never been to DCA) turned into another trip, overnight this time, with me and my son, which we spent mainly at DL, staying at PPH.

All on 2 sets of APs, and the APs don't expire until early Nov (mine) and early Dec (theirs).

If only we'd known in Sept '05 what that ONE DAY's trip would do to our lives...


Oh and once hubby's job gets totally settled, we'll be planning a visit to WDW, where we will be treating my local family out there to a stay at DVC, since we'll have a bunch of "points" to play with. The snowball continues...

 

[aprincess@mail.com]

hmmm, where do i start?

lets just say that i was born into Disney.

My mother and grandmother both have Loved the park and when I came around, it was only inevitable that I too would Love the park.

As a child my mother would take us children(3) to DL about 2-3 times per year. Once during the holidays and another at Summertime for sure.

So as I grew up, I took the annual trips into adulthood.
Once my dd was 1 1/2 years old, we took her to DL to experience the "magic".
We stayed only 3 days and loved it!
After that trip, my dh decided that to make us happy, he would spend lots of time on Disney property for us.
the next year we planned a 7 day trip to WDW staying at the Saratoga Springs Resort in a Suite with a DTD view. It was amazing!!!!
I signed up for Disboards and researched all i could. I had each day planned from day to night and we has sooo much fun!

yes, we absolutely splurged but it was soooo worth it!!!
we had the dining plan and we had some amazing meals!
we seriously thought about the DVC... but I just cant convince DH

the next year, we bought AP's!! and made it to the park 4 times last year.
each trip being great! and each trip sharing memories with our family together.
My ds(8months) made his 1st trip last December at 2 months old.
So I am keeping the Disney Dream alive by planning each trip...

our next one is with my mom, my grandma and family to visit for 1 week after thanksgiving, and i am SOOOOO excited!!!
i plan everything! so I already told them where we will be dining. LOL
I just Love Disney!

 

[PinkBudgie]

I just today got back from my third snowball trip. It started out as a quick anniversary trip for us. (Our frirst trip snowballed into getting APs.) We were going to just go for a few days and stay at CGH. Then I thought about it and realized we could go for a whole week for the same price if we stayed at a nice hotel off site. We already had passes, so we may as well get good use out of them. We then shifted the trip a little so that it would occur over DH's BDay and we could get the fun card.

We were just going to go to Blue Bayou for lunch to celebrate our anniversary. That snowballed into dinner at Steakhouse 55 and we ended up ordering a lot more things for dinner than we normally would so even that snowballed. Don't think we've ever spent that much on dinner.

Now we have to hold off on making anymore Disney Snowballs until next summer. But I'm sure a year will give plenty of time for to grow and grow...

 

[mom4princesses]

I will start with the 2nd family trip in 2006 we took to DLR. Was talking about it with a friend at work and we decided her family should go with us. Then she started to tell me about this web site she joined that was all about DLR. So that day I ran home to see what she was talking about (didnt join at this time). I loved reading and got lots of ideas. One of my favorite ideas was to leave a gift for the kids each night from one of the Disney characters. Well The local Disney Store was have a big sale and I got the kids 5 gifts for each night. This was a huge hit. So we had a great trip. The kids couldnt wait to go again (ok I kind of planted the idea in their little impressionable minds). Next family trip yes you guessed it DLR. October was the plan, so I had about a year to get ready for the trip. This time I had to join in on the fun and became mom4princesses. Then next thing I knew the kids were earning Disney dollars for the up comming event. Any excuse I had to go to the Disney Store I was there and oh that's on sale have to get it and on and on... Before I knew it I had bought so much for the girls it needed its own huge suit case. Well just before the trip I found out I was pregnant and couldnt go on all the rides (was really disappointing about the rides not the baby lol). So yes Dh promised we could go again after baby was born. Hence the next trip in 2007. Not much for that trip since Dh was in school and I was just happy to be able to go.
Then after reading how much Disers loved the parks during Christmas we had to try. Well we planned on going on a 5 day trip. But when we call to use our time share they told us we had a week we would loose if not used by the end of the year. Well I was at school when Dh called so he decided to make it a 2 week trip (pulled him to the dark side). When I got home he said well I couldnt get the week we wanted so I got 2 weeks. What, we went the 2 weeks before Christmas and had a blast. So I said why not get passes and he said sure it would only be a little more than what we paid. Wow I now know I get to go to DLR again at least once in the next year. Well we got to talking and remembered I had one more year in my Radiography program and really wouldnt get to use them like we want to. So now I graduate in December and are planning a trip. First we decided to go spring break 2010 when my DH said, "lets wait for October and have more time to save so we can stay and a DLR hotel." The kids went crazy and I ran to the computer. Since you cant check for 10 of 2010 I decided to see what the price was for this year to get a guide line. Well lest just say when I looked for a family of 8 I about fell off my chair. Honey come here I said and when he looked at the price of 11,500 he said no way (thought I was messing with him, nope). Then I looked up a good neighbor hotel package and it was only around 1,700. We could go 5 times for that price. Next trip 10-2010 not sure of hotel yet but already stocking up on the nightly gifts. He also said I could have the new camera I have wanted for the last trip (any suggestions would be great). Oh and this time we are going for the APs since we will both be working! The snowball has just started.....

 

[Sherry E]

Yay for pulling people to the dark side! Woo hoo!

 

[PinkBudgie]

That's a great snowball! Can you imagine $11,000? That would have definately been the snowball to end all snowballs!

During my snowball last year I had to get a new camera to take to DLR and got a Canon Powershot SD1100. It is small and fits in my little purse. It takes great pics. Good zoom and close ups, night setting for rides without flash, and movies. My sister has one and mom does also.

 

[Sherry E]

I think you out-Snowballed me on the camera, Budgie! I also got a Canon Power Shot, primarily for DLR purposes, but mine is only an SD 880 IS. It is small but I am not thrilled with the case I got for it for some reason. It is too snug and there is no room to squueze in an extra memory card or battery or anything. I have not yet determined what the night shots are like (because I am too impatient to sit there and read the THREE manuals that came in the box with the camera), but I DID discover that it picks up DUST in pictures quite well! In fact, before I read your post about the camera, I had just posted pictures on the last page of my TR, and in one of them (taken of a hard-to-access shelf with knick-knacks), you can see a thick layer of dust that was not that visible to the naked eye!! But with this Canon camera, there is no getting around the dust!! Gotta love that clarity!! Now if only it can pick up details like that at DLR, then we are in business!

 

[MichaelColey]

Oh, so true. We were planning a day at Legoland and perhaps a couple days at Disneyland in January. Then we discovered the CityPass and the 3 month Legoland pass, so we ended up spending 10 days between San Diego and LA, 3 of which were at Disneyland. On the last day at Disneyland, we upgraded to Annual Passes. Then we came back for a week in February. Then I came back a couple times when I had 12 hour layovers at LAX. We'll be back for another week next January before our Annual Passes expire (and perhaps sooner than that if we find some good fares). (And we have two weeks scheduled at WDW in September!) I guess we're Disney junkies.

 

[heartbeeps]

yep, I "upsell" myself constantly! grrrrrrrr

 

[mom4princesses]

During my snowball last year I had to get a new camera to take to DLR and got a Canon Powershot SD1100. It is small and fits in my little purse. It takes great pics. Good zoom and close ups, night setting for rides without flash, and movies. My sister has one and mom does also.

Thanks for the suggestion. Looked into the Canon and it has been discontinued since the 1200 has come out. But the 1100 has great reviews so I googled it and found out that Staples put in on clearance. So stared the search and at the second store the guy said no I think we sold out but I will go look. Then out he came with the last one. So out the door I went with my new camera (that I had to get for my trip in Oct of 2010) and paid $100. Now all I have to do is break it to by DH. My birthday is in less than a month so it will just be my present to myself.

 

[PinkBudgie]

Thanks for the suggestion. Looked into the Canon and it has been discontinued since the 1200 has come out. But the 1100 has great reviews so I googled it and found out that Staples put in on clearance. So stared the search and at the second store the guy said no I think we sold out but I will go look. Then out he came with the last one. So out the door I went with my new camera (that I had to get for my trip in Oct of 2010) and paid $100. Now all I have to do is break it to by DH. My birthday is in less than a month so it will just be my present to myself.

That is a great price! I paid about $225 for mine last summer, I think at Amazon. I still love it!

 

[Sherry E]

That is a great price! I paid about $225 for mine last summer, I think at Amazon. I still love it!

My Canon SD 880 was about $240-ish, I think.

Budgie, do you have 4x zoom on your camera, or 5x or what is it? And oyu used night mode to take photos without flash in the rides? I will have to remember that with mine - as I said yesterday, it came with 3 manuals that I do not have the patience for, so I am just poking at buttons and discovering as I go along!