The Most Expensive Free Trip Ever - TR Link is Up! Pg. 164

[glennbo123]

Let me just preface by thanking you and my lucky stars that there are no shoes or bags. (Although, I can't guarantee that there won't be any of that froof on my thread at somt point in the future.)

I'm glad to hear you're not disappointed by that news.

I also want to just say, that a green eyed monster has come to visit- 40 days and all.

It's getting close, but not so close that anticipation/panic (how about "anticipanic"?) has begun to set in.

1) Tix- I think that totally stinks that you can't find out from SOMEONE about your tickets. Geez, it's a simple string of numbers or a 3 word phrase.

I agree, but it's just not gonna happen.

2) Photopass. Glad you got some response, although, not nearly as much as you had hoped. Maybe within those 40 days you'll find some more folks who are ready to cut a deal.

Yes, I wouldn't be surprised if some others join as the green-eyed monster closes in.

3) I like to hear that the Via is strong. So you're saying for my 3 days that I'll be in the POP (with no maker), 1 box of 3 packets oughtta work fine?? How does it taste?? I assume better than instant, but not as good as say a Kenyan roast?

If you just drink a cup or so in the morning, I'd say yes, a 3-pack oughtta do it. I thought it was pretty good. I got the Italian Roast, which is the strongest. There is also a Columbian, which is a little milder apparently. I grabbed a Decaf for Judy to try, thinking it was just "decaf", but it was also Italian Roast, so I'm going to have to see if their Decaf also comes in a milder roast.

 

[eandesmom]

40 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How incredibly exciting. I'm just happy to be in double digits. That's a bummer about the tickets, I hope it is quickly resolved once you get there but hope you are steeling yourself for a saga once you arrive. I sense foreshadowing already without even knowing the end.

for PP share. We're doing that with Sandie, mind you she doesn't know about it yet.

Via is strong. I worked for Starbucks for 13 years and have some moral issues with the existence of it. It's not quite right (to me) on many many levels. That said, it's by far the best and easiest instant option out there and I'll drink it in a pinch and definitely take it any day over the hot brown warm stuff that Disney offers.

Of course I like it strong.

 

[All7OfUs]

I worked for Starbucks for 13 years and have some moral issues with the existence of it. It's not quite right (to me) on many many levels.

I'd love to hear more about those someday! Maybe here isnt' the best forum, but it is interesting to hear you say this.... knowing nothing about the company and its history.

 

[dd50]

Great update.

Sorry about the tickets. That really stinks as you won't know until you get there and no time to give them to someone from PChef if you can't use them. If they end up being the kind that are only good for those days you can always hand them out at the ticket center and make someones day.

40 days goes fast. So are you packed yet?

 

[FauntleroyFAN07]

Gotcha.
You're on a roll! Brutal!

No. Lighting a match in such a situation could be dangerous.

very true open flame should be kept far away from that matter.



40 days out looking good, we were going to do photopass, but between me and my dad, we should be good, on my one week trip i had over 1300 pics, and now with dad along, eh will take plenty when we are with characters so we should be good.

allthough if we have some good ones, maybe i can give them to you and pay you for them?

 

[glennbo123]

40 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Uh-huh uh-huh uh-huh.

How incredibly exciting. I'm just happy to be in double digits. That's a bummer about the tickets, I hope it is quickly resolved once you get there but hope you are steeling yourself for a saga once you arrive. I sense foreshadowing already without even knowing the end.

I already know I'm going to be mad. It's not good to go in that way, but I just know it.

for PP share. We're doing that with Sandie, mind you she doesn't know about it yet.

That's the way to do it!

Via is strong. I worked for Starbucks for 13 years and have some moral issues with the existence of it. It's not quite right (to me) on many many levels. That said, it's by far the best and easiest instant option out there and I'll drink it in a pinch and definitely take it any day over the hot brown warm stuff that Disney offers.

As Liesa mentioned below, that would be interesting to hear about sometime.

Via was as easy as it could possibly be, and pretty good.

Of course I like it strong.

I believe it.

I'd love to hear more about those someday! Maybe here isnt' the best forum, but it is interesting to hear you say this.... knowing nothing about the company and its history.

Me too, but you're right, I'm not sure what forum would be best.

Great update.

Sorry about the tickets. That really stinks as you won't know until you get there and no time to give them to someone from PChef if you can't use them. If they end up being the kind that are only good for those days you can always hand them out at the ticket center and make someones day.

I know -- we've thought about giving them to family; we even thought about that consultant who just missed out on the trip. But not knowing if they're transferrable, that could turn out to be a nightmare if they're not!

40 days goes fast. So are you packed yet?

You are so funny! We haven't even thought about it, except that the coffee plans are in motion -- testing is done, procurement of a week's worth of coffee is on the agenda.

very true open flame should be kept far away from that matter.

Exactly!

40 days out looking good, we were going to do photopass, but between me and my dad, we should be good, on my one week trip i had over 1300 pics, and now with dad along, eh will take plenty when we are with characters so we should be good.

allthough if we have some good ones, maybe i can give them to you and pay you for them?

I don't know why it didn't occur to me before -- you are welcome to join my Share.

 

[dd50]

I don't pack early and as I read trip reports it seems that I am in the minority as I don't pack until the night before.

 

[FauntleroyFAN07]

just wanted to say glenn, im at 30 days till we leave.

 

[glennbo123]

I don't pack early and as I read trip reports it seems that I am in the minority as I don't pack until the night before.

I'm more in your camp. I might start a couple of days ahead of time setting things aside, but quite a bit will be done the night before.

just wanted to say glenn, im at 30 days till we leave.

Oh rub it in.

 

[FauntleroyFAN07]

Oh rub it in.

okay hey glenn, when i leave, yo uwill still have to wait 10 days till you leave

 

[tinkgurl]

40 days?! That's so exciting!!!

 

[FauntleroyFAN07]

email sent off to you glenn

 

[glennbo123]

okay hey glenn, when i leave, yo uwill still have to wait 10 days till you leave

My "40 day post" was put up last night...today I'm at 39 days, so I only have to wait 9 days after you leave. Ha! Take that!

40 days?! That's so exciting!!!

Hey TG! It is exciting! BTW, I'm enjoying your "just engaged" TR.

email sent off to you glenn

Thanks dude.

 

[Tribilín]

Yay! Two new chapters... I guess I broke my promise to visit the DIS more often LOL!

Love the anecdote about James and the popcorn. So wonderful how those little details become imprinted in our memory.

I remember I had a similar experience myself with an icecream cone... but with more disastrous results

Only 39 days to go! Woooohoooo!

 

[Blueyed Girl]

Today marks 40 days from our arrival in the World!

Thought you might like a mini-update of what's going on trip-wise.

Tickets from PChef -- I've resigned myself to the fact that I will not know any options we might have with these tickets until we get there. I've talked to the travel people that PChef uses at least 3 times, and Disney twice. The problem is, I'm talking to the wrong people. Neither of these folks have the info. that's needed. There's somebody in PChef and Disney who made a deal on the price of these tickets, and know exactly what kind of tickets they are, but the travel people don't know the specifics and neither do the people who answer the phones at Disney. It's a shame because at this point I can't even offer them to a family member because I don't know if they're transferable. I'd hate for somebody to book a trip they weren't planning on, on the promise of free tickets, and then find out they can't use them.

Photopass Share -- A month or more ago I wrote up a note and had Judy send it to her director and her down-line people who are going on the trip, explaining what Photopass is and asking if they wanted to go in on a Share group. I volunteered to put it together and do all of the coordination. We got no response....just crickets chirping. I was a little disappointed that I didn't just join a group on TGM. But since then she's had opportunity to talk to a couple of these people and ask them about it and so we've got at least 2 others in our group, so we're on. We may get more before we go, or even add 1 or 2 when we get there.

Coffee (yes, coffee) -- You are probably aware that the coffee at Disney World is less than stellar. Unless you get a pressed-pot at Boma or Kona Cafe or a few other places, Disney serves a Nescafe instant that is downright foul. In the past, we've brewed our own coffee in our suite, but Judy only drinks decaf, and it just doesn't make a lot of sense to brew two pots for the two of us, so I usually end up drinking decaf, which to me is kind of like "what's the point?" Anyway, I read on another thread (Jordan's, I think) about Starbucks' instant coffee, called Via. So, I stopped into a Starbucks the other day and bought a couple of 3-packs. They're pretty good, but very strong! For us, one packet can be used for a very large mug, or probably two small mugs, and still be plenty strong. So I think that's the route we're going to go for our trip, rather than taking filters and coffee.

Well, that does it for this update. No pictures of shoes or park bags.

All of this means that the trip is starting to get REALLY CLOSE!!

Bummer about the tickets....STILL! Hope you can get it figured out when you get there.

We usually bring our own coffee too. The coffee from here (community coffee) is just TOO GOOD. Most people from around here bring their own coffee with them on vacation. I think those instant packs of Starbucks is a nice alternative, though.

I'm hoping I can get my TR done BEFORE the next trip!

 

[GreatBiscuit]

Congrats on the 40 day dance!

 

[quantum]

Not trying to interupt the flow by jumping back a couple of Chapters (I'm playing catch up)...but in regards to this:

After that we found a spot for Illuminations. We either parked on the bridge between UK and France or over in Canada. We’ve watched it from those two spots and I can’t remember which occasion this was. If anyone can tell where we were from these photos, please let me know!

I can definitely say that view is from the bridge between UK and France, as that is exactly the same view we had (with the island and its tree on the right, and the lower promenade area near the Rose and Crown on the left) the last time we were at Epcot for Illuminations...hope that helps!

Also, enjoying your PTR so far...hope your 39 days (soon to be 38) pass quickly!

 

[FairyGodmotherJen]

I have GOT to start a countdown calendar for the kids...I guess I have to put that on my list of things to do! We arrive the 12th, package starts the 13th...since we're leaving the 11th, though, I'm going to use that for my own personal countdown, and that means 38 days for me!! It's a good thing you and Dan are basically going the same time we are, or I'd completely loose track of the countdown!!!

I think you're on the right track with your attitude about the tickets - save your sanity and wait until you can do something about it! And good idea about the coffee...I might have to pass that idea on to the coffee-drinking members of our group!

 

[glennbo123]

Yay! Two new chapters... I guess I broke my promise to visit the DIS more often LOL!

We've been over this and over this Trib. You must check the DIS at least daily, unless you're in Disney World, then you get a pass. I don't want to be DISappointed in you.

(Just kidding. Check in when you can!)

Love the anecdote about James and the popcorn. So wonderful how those little details become imprinted in our memory.

The stories are definitely imprinted. Sometimes it's just hard to figure out which trip/occasion they go with.

I remember I had a similar experience myself with an icecream cone... but with more disastrous results

James had one of those experiences too -- at the Creamery at Penn State (a famous student-run ice cream shop). He walked out of the shop and dropped the ice cream right off of the cone and onto the ground. We had waited in line about a half hour to get the ice cream (it was a football gameday), so we picked up the ice cream, wiped off any foreign objects, and plopped it back on top of the cone! Call us terrible parents if you want....he lived.

Only 39 days to go! Woooohoooo!

Gettin' close!

All of this means that the trip is starting to get REALLY CLOSE!!

Hey, that's what I just said to Trib. That means your trip is getting close too!

Bummer about the tickets....STILL! Hope you can get it figured out when you get there.

One day, all my questions will be answered.

We usually bring our own coffee too. The coffee from here (community coffee) is just TOO GOOD. Most people from around here bring their own coffee with them on vacation. I think those instant packs of Starbucks is a nice alternative, though.

Is community coffee a brand? I think the Starbucks thing will be a lot easier than brewing. (and I'll get regular coffee )

I'm hoping I can get my TR done BEFORE the next trip!

So are your readers!

Congrats on the 40 day dance!

Thanks GB.

 

[glennbo123]

Not trying to interupt the flow by jumping back a couple of Chapters (I'm playing catch up)...but in regards to this:

quantum!!! It's been a while since someone new has chimed in. I'm glad you're here!

Don't feel bad at all about discussing things that were mentioned earlier. We jump around a lot on this thread. Right, people?

I can definitely say that view is from the bridge between UK and France, as that is exactly the same view we had (with the island and its tree on the right, and the lower promenade area near the Rose and Crown on the left) the last time we were at Epcot for Illuminations...hope that helps!

I knew that some DISer somewhere would know the answer to that question! I was leaning toward thinking that it was from the bridge, but I just wasn't sure. Thanks for confirming it!

Also, enjoying your PTR so far...hope your 39 days (soon to be 38) pass quickly!

Thanks!