The NEW Official November 2010 Countdown & Planning Thread ~ Come join us! (Part 2)

[pwdebbie]

Why is it people tell you one thing, then do another?

A lil history - We are renting a golf cart for our trip to Disney. At FW, everything is very spread out and in certain areas you cannot park a car so a GC is the way to go. Anyway, we are renting one from off property this time because it will save us right around $200 give or take few. Great right? The guy tells me they will send the charge through a week before hand and that he would call to let me know the charge was going on the card. That works for me!

Well since my arrival day is next Saturday, I was expecting the charge tomorrow (the last business day before the one week mark) and had planned on moving the money over to my checking account today. I don't know about everyone else but I live on a tight budget and payday is tomorrow so I did not have a lot left in the account. Well they decided to charge it yesterday without telling me anything and now I have overdraft fees charged to my account!! I am ticked to say the least!

Had they simply contacted me first, I could have moved the money from our vacation savings and there would have been no problem. But now, I have fees I cannot afford to pay and will effect things we had planned. I called them and of course got a voice mail. And I am quite certain they will tell me it is not their problem. I would love to just cancel it all together, but at this late notice I doubt I could reserve another for that price and even with the overdraft fees it is still less than the Disney cart, but this just is not right to me! Unless they do something to make it right (because I am a firm believer you do not tell customers one thing and then do something else) they will not have to worry about me sending any business their way and I will make sure others know not to rely on what they say.

With everything else going on, I REALLY did not need this!

I had something similar happen to me with an automatic withdrawal for tuition that was supposed to happen on a certain day and they did it earlier. I informed the school that they had accessed my account without my permission and I informed the bank that the automatic withdrawal was scheduled for a certain date and that the school had done it earlier than arranged. Both the school and the bank worked things out and I didn't have to pay anything extra.

 

[DisneyBoundinDec]

8 more days
Anyone do early check in? Is there really any advantage to it?

 

[shinysparklybubbles]

I've been a little bummed b/c of DH calf injury, but tonight it just HIT ME.....
We're going to Disney World in 20 Days!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yippeeeee!!!!!

Your poor DH. When you said what he did my stomach turned! It sounds awful!

 

[shinysparklybubbles]

8 more days
Anyone do early check in? Is there really any advantage to it?

I am not doing it. We are traveling with my parents and requested connecting rooms and we are arriving around 1030 am. I thought I read on here you have a better chance of getting a room that is ready early if you don't do the online check in. Who knows if it is true or not.

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

I've been a little bummed b/c of DH calf injury, but tonight it just HIT ME.....
We're going to Disney World in 20 Days!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yippeeeee!!!!!

Woooo Hooooo! Hows he feeling? I am gonna PM you..so check it!!

 

[shinysparklybubbles]

Will you take Disney transportation or drive?

We always take the buses. My husband drives for a living so for him vacation is leaving it to someone else. Now this is our first trip with a toddler and a stroller so it will be interesting!

 

[lizzyb5280]

Will you take Disney transportation or drive?

We always take the buses. My husband drives for a living so for him vacation is leaving it to someone else. Now this is our first trip with a toddler and a stroller so it will be interesting!

We will take the busses from CBR. My husband doesn't exactly drive for a living, but is a mobile tech for Safelite Auto Glass, so he spends lots of time on the road. Coupled with the fact that we're driving down, once we're parked it's not moving!

Just a quick check-in before I'm off for the weekend. This has truly been the week from hell; Trackey I totally feel your pain on the unexpected expenses as we've had nearly $1000 worth this week. First our flat-screen TV went out, had to replace. Then the whole family got strep, so copays plus medicine for all. Then our A/C went out, though thankfully we have a connection who is charging us materials only, or else it would have more than doubled the repair bill. THEN I saw an unusual charge from my mail-order pharmacy; apparently one of the new prescriptions I submitted was written as name-brand only, so what should have been no copay was now quite expensive. All of this is biting into our Disney spending budget, and was going to eliminate our church retreat this weekend, but thankfully the church is putting up the money for us to still go. That coming through, plus the birth of our new niece on Tuesday is truly all that has gotten us through the week.

Tomorrow morning we're going to DD's Halloween party at her preschool, then her uncle is bringing her to his house for the weekend. We'll try to stop by DH's other brother's house to see the new baby (haven't met her yet since we've all been sick) then we'll be off to the retreat. We're already in single digits, so whenever we get back on Sunday, full-on Disney panic mode will begin! Lots of unpacking and re-packing to do! Still undecided whether or not to online check-in; what is the benefit?

I talked to my mom (who is coming with us) about splitting the cost of a pre-paid Photopass, and she agreed. One thing we're curious about: we both received Photopass cards since we booked separately. Can we link both numbers to the same online account and put them all on one CD, or do we need to take all of our pictures on the same card?

 

[summerlady]

8 more days
Anyone do early check in? Is there really any advantage to it?

Yes. I don't know if it makes a difference or not, but we always arrive around around noon and our room has always been ready when we check in. In my experience, the online check in line is much shorter than the regular check in line. Besides, it makes me happy to be able to do online check in at 10 days!

 

[summerlady]

Will you take Disney transportation or drive?

We always use the buses, most of the time it's very good. Only one day we'll be traveling by taxi, 8 a.m. ADR at 1900 Park Fare and I don't feel like messing with the bus and monorail that early in the morning.

 

[Disneymommy2006]

Does everyone here do online check in? We have never done that before, what does everyone suggest?

 

[Pumba's Truth]

Will you take Disney transportation or drive?

We'll probably do a mix of both as I am unfamiliar with driving around Disney and this would also allow me to have a pop or wine with dinner should I feel like it.

That being said though, on our departure day we'll be driving to the TTC for an early ADR at CP. Then we'll leave the MK and head straight to my parents place around 4:30 or so.

 

[CajunMomof3]

Will you take Disney transportation or drive?

We have always driven there and the parked the truck until we left. I have heard such terrible things about the buses at the Boardwalk that we are thinking about trying the buses but using the truck if it is as bad as described.

As for online check-in, we have done it both ways, and I can't say that I have noticed a difference. I agree with others who have said it is just a good feeling to check-in online 10 days before you get there...

 

[disneymom727]

Will you take Disney transportation or drive?

We always drive. Since DD will need a stroller it's easier that way for us.

 

[MAGGIED]

Have any of you every decorated your hotel room? I am thinking about doing a surprise for the girls in the room...maybe have a bag left by mickey mouse or tinkerbell for them to find when we check in..I could have my hubby in the lobby with them while I quickly go to the room..I looked at disney's in room celebration prices and they are wow..I couldn't believe it. I was thinking of going to the disney outlet and picking up a few little things in a christmas theme and leaving the mvmcp in an envelope with an invitation from mickey himself. What do you think?...any ideas?

I think decorating yourself sounds like a great idea... you can do it cheaper than Disney... our Dollar store has tons of Disney things... maybe yours does to...

Single Digits today!!!!

9 DAYS!!!

8 more days
Anyone do early check in? Is there really any advantage to it?

Does everyone here do online check in? We have never done that before, what does everyone suggest?

We always do the online check in.... can't say if it makes it any quicker or not because we have really never had to wait to check in... but I do like the fact that it makes the trip seem closer!!!

only one more week for us...

Thanks everyone for the good wishes for Maggie ..... we are excited to be able to spend her birthday with her!!

 

[duffy]

Checking in next Friday!!

 

[Trackey79]

I thought about that because yes, we do drive. However, the dog doesn't drive well and the kennel is pricey. Dh keeps assuring me he will be fine with leaving her. We left her twice today and she did something she never did before -- sat at the top of the stairs (we go in and out the basement door) and looked at us with woeful eyes. And when we came home, she barked (she is not a barker). I think she knows something is up, I'm convinced she understands that suitcases mean we are leaving.

Just to add, dd made out ok with her ob appointment today. They are trying some sort of pulse thingie on her wrist that people use for seasickness. Never heard of it, but if it gets rid of her all-day-long morning sickness, then that's great.

Don't really have any suggestions in regards to the dog (ours is an outside dog and so laid back she will let anyone take care of her as long as they are nice ) but I did want to say I am glad your daughter may have a solution to the morning sickness. After having four I know well how hard all that can be.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

19 DAYS!!! We are in the teens!!!

QOTD- We drive straight though 21 driving hours, once we get there we park and are done. Normally the car moves just once to go off property to Don Pablos (we all love it and ours closed years ago) and to go to the outlet store. Plus, DH drives a lot for work and is happy to let the bus drivers drive for him. We don't have strolers anymore, but we used to even a double and never had bus issues. The busses are one of DH's favorite parts of vacation.

For the person (don't remember who it was) who asked about Photopass, yo ucan combine multiple cards at the end, that is what we do, you never know when people won't be together and a god photo-op will come up.

 

[princessmom29]

We drive down and the car doesn't move until we leave! BTW, I posted yeterday about backing inot a tree, well it was good news. No damage to the bumper. They just replaced a proken clip and sent me on my way!

 

[DisneyBoundinDec]

Checking in next Friday!!

Us too!!! this time next week we will be in the air on the way to Orlando!!

Wendy - so glad your daughter was able to get off from work!

I don't think we are going to do online check in..

 

[Trackey79]

I had something similar happen to me with an automatic withdrawal for tuition that was supposed to happen on a certain day and they did it earlier. I informed the school that they had accessed my account without my permission and I informed the bank that the automatic withdrawal was scheduled for a certain date and that the school had done it earlier than arranged. Both the school and the bank worked things out and I didn't have to pay anything extra.

That is great that your bank and school worked with you! I wish my bank was a little more accomodating. They pretty much said there is nothing they can do. And of course the golf cart rental company cannot be bothered with actually calling me back! At this point, even with the bank fees, it is still cheaper to go with who I am using, but if they don't do something to help make it right, they can be sure they won't be getting any recommendations or further patronage from me!

At any rate, I have decided that this is just another one of those lil bumps in the road and that I am not going to let it ruin my trip. After all, even if I couldn't buy a single souveneir (I'm not quite at that point yet, hehe) we still have a week at Disney