The *Official* February 2011 Thread - Happy Dance Time...The Park Hours Are Out!

[o2bnoz]

Lamb... oh how I can relate to your problems!!!! I'm so sorry that your stress level is increasing. That just sucks!!

Anyway.... I, too, NEED something to look forward to, and plan. I also sometimes suffer from depression. Interesting that several of us do, and that disney helps us. I wonder how prevalent that is. I think it's one of the more healthy ways to deal with depression (have to say that I use other not so healthy methods as well... eating is one example...).

I am doing everything possible to save as much money as I can, and it's still looking so impossible (but I will make it work.. one way or another). And yesterday my son and I were gone all day. It rained ALL day long, a steady, straight down rain. It was great for the crops, but my husband called me and said that we had a roof leak. Oh geesh.. my heart just sank! We know that we need a new roof fairly soon, but that just seemed to be saying to me "how can you save for Disney when you need a new roof??". I'm still torn. I know that if I saved up $4000 and gave it to my husband for his birthday, we could buy the materials for the roof and maybe do a couple of other things, too... BUT... would that really make any of us happier? We don't like to use credit for anything. We have medical bills we're paying and those are really our only "bills" (aside from the mortgage, utilities, food, etc...) so we don't like to add other monthly payments on to our budget. It's all just very frustrating. You work, work, work ALL of the time, and still can't manage to take a family vacation. BLAH! I'm depressing myself. So... here's the flip-side of that..

We are basically good people. By "basically" I mean that I'm not perfect, but I sure try to help others any time that I can. I pay my bills, I am kind to people, and I try not to leave anything (person, place or thing) in worse shape than when I found them. So, I really believe that if I continue to do what's right, I will find a way to make this trip happen. Kids grow up and lose interest in family vacations. You don't have all of the time in the world, even if you think you do (several friends with cancer recently, have really made that point strike home), etc... so, taking this vacation means more than just 10 days in Florida. It's a symbol for working hard and believing that the world is still OK. That's my rationalization and I'm going to stick to it!!!

I need this for my family, not just for me. We need something great and fun to do in February of 2011. January, February and March, are LOOOONG here in the Midwest!!

So, who's with me? We can figure this out and make it work and STILL pay our bills!!! One way or another we will DO IT!!!!!
Oh... and besides, Lamb.. you are going to be there the same time that I will be! Maybe we could even MEET

 

[o2bnoz]

ZachsMom... you will be there some of the same time that we'll be there, too! That's so exciting!

Our trip is planned February 26 - March 9th

 

[MamaJessie]

lol, I'm addicted to saving money as well. It killed me to have to pay Regular season prices instead of Value. If I put the dates in under Room Only, does it automatically apply the discount or do I need to enter it somewhere?

We're going 2/24-3/5. I'm looking on the site at 2/12-2/21. That would be our only other option as we need to use some of DS' school vacation days so he doesn't miss too much school. But I don't know if the price that came up includes the 25% discount. It's coming to $2600 which is only $150 less than what our current room-only rate came up as.

we're staying at ASMU Family suite, 7 day hopper passes. Free QS dining which we paid about $200 to upgrade to the regular DP.

Well I suppose if worse came to worse in terms of saving you could drop down to a regular room, four days ticket, straight no hopping and go back to the free qs, (which would save you the 200 plus tips you leave at TS), and give you an extra snack a day When I make my disney lists (upon lists upon lists...) I have the regular version of my budget, and then a list of luxuries I'd add if I could and a list of things I'll cut if I have to. I think it helps it stay realistic to me, that I can do it no matter what.

o2bnoz - I joke with DH that Disney is my drug of choice, I just never thought other people are the same way. It really is interesting, isn't it? Somehow Disney obsession helps curb the eating, lol. I joined the February losers group so I can combine two great things, Disney and weight loss motivation.

So people have already started asking what they can get the kids for Christmas and I am trying to think of things they can use on vacation, because like Lamb said, people don't always like to buy kids gift cards. So far my best friend thought of disney water bottles they can bring to the parks . Any other ideas?

 

[lamb616]

ooh, that's a tough one - needing a roof. I know because we recently replaced ours. We could NOT put it off another month (had been putting it off for years) and so we had to cash in an IRA to do it. But, to me, vacations are a priority. The BEST memories of my childhood were of our vacations. We didn't go anywhere far or fancy (mostly to NH), but I have such fond memories of them and now I take my kids to NH every summer and we (mostly me) start planning/talking about it in February of each year, after the excitement of the holidays has worn off. I also need something to get me through the loooon New England months of Feb, March & April.

I spent all morning firming up my itinerary.

Gotta run, ttyl

 

[MamaJessie]

But, to me, vacations are a priority. The BEST memories of my childhood were of our vacations. We didn't go anywhere far or fancy (mostly to NH), but I have such fond memories of them ..... I also need something to get me through the loooon New England months of Feb, March & April.

I absolutely agree!!!! My father died when I was 12 and my mom just passed away this spring and you know what my best memories are? Yup - vacations. We drove some crappy cars over the years, had good years financially and bad years financially, but who cares? Vacation was a time we could devote to each other in a way we couldn't every day of our lives. It's a gift I want to give my kids so they can have some amazing memories too.

 

[Gina]

Holy crow, so much to catch up on!! DS and I went away on a mini-staycation this weekend, out last hurrah before school starts tomorrow. He's going into 9th grade, and between guitar jams and being on the phone with his girlfriend for hours, I don't get much time with him. You know how it goes. So I Pricelined a hotel in the area and got one for dirt cheap, and we have had fun in our own backyard all weekend while pretending we were far away. Spent the day at Space Center Houston yesterday, heading to a movie today, have laughed until we could barely breathe, worked on our WDW itinerary together, and eaten our weight in junk food. An AWESOME weekend.

Mandy ~ I don't know what to tell you about your hotel dilemma... I can't even fathom staying at POFQ over Pop!! Pop is just so much fun, but so pretty too. It would be a serious downgrade to me if they tried to move me to pretty much any of the mods. For more than a couple people, the extra room in a mod is nice, but not nice enough to get me out of Pop. But if you don't think you would be happy there, then you need to make the best decision for you!


Lamb ~ So many others have said the same thing I would say. I total commiserate with you. I've been a single parent for over 12 years now, I work and struggle for what we have, I feel like I'm never going to meet anyone again, I'm just tired. But still happy, and grateful for what I have, and more determined than ever to make our vacations happen. (Take THAT, stupid crappy A/C that had to suddenly be replaced!) The memories we have made are priceless, and I know we won't be able to do this for much longer. Before I know it, he'll be in college, and I'll be left here to talk to myself. lol


So glad so many folks have signed up at the FB group! I just started a thread on Photopass shares, so feel free to toss your 2 cents in. Off to see "The Other Guys" now, talk to y'all later!


-gina-

 

[charming23]

So excited, we booked for Pop Century February 6-15, 2011. I get to be in Disney for my 26th birthday!!!!!!!

 

[lamb616]

To those that are also looking for ways to pay for your trip - do you do any of the GPT sites? I've been doing Swagbucks since the beginning of the year and I now have $500 in Amazon & Target. I've slowed down a lot on it (spending too much time planning my trip now, lol) but I expect to get at least another $150 by December 1st. Unfortunately you can't get Disney cards but I'm going to use the $$$ I have on Amazon & Target for my Xmas shopping and, in turn, put that amount of cash that I would normally be spending on Xmas towards our trip. I also do Inbox Dollars and My Points and iRazoo. I don't make nearly as much as I do on Swagbucks, but those other sites supplement my Swag with an extra $5-$10 or so a month.

 

[lamb616]

as for doing vacations on a tight budget, we still managed to do our NH vacation this year even though things were tight. I bought a couple of restaurant.com gift certificates for dinners (like $2 each) and then we brought PB&J or tuna sandwiches to the parks every day for lunch as well as all our snacks and drinks. That's a ton of $$ saved right there. If I absolutely *have* to cut back on our WDW vacation, I'd probably shorten it by a couple days, which would also shorten our park passes. I don't think we could go down to a regular room though that would save us the most money. I'm set in my ways about some things, lol.: confused3

 

[Marlynmik]

Gina, how was the movie? (DH would LOVE to see it)

And I really like reading all those money-saving tips We've done a few things to save for our trip: no more Tim Horton's coffee, home made lunches, occasional meatless dinners and got rid of our cleaning lady. Every penny saved is a penny earned. Our balance for the trip is due December 26th

 

[ColinCodyMom]

So glad so many folks have signed up at the FB group! I just started a thread on Photopass shares, so feel free to toss your 2 cents in. Off to see "The Other Guys" now, talk to y'all later!


-gina-

I tried to sign up on the facebook site but I haven't been accepted yet I don't think. We're going Feb 8-16 now!! Can't wait!!

 

[MamaJessie]

I've been doing Swagbucks since the beginning of the year and I now have $500 in Amazon & Target.

That is awesome. WHat exactly do you do? I signed up and get 5 here or 10 there, but how do you get a lot of points? I signed up for mypoints and within a day or two they stopped the daily spin I never tried the other two, if you get referral links, pm me an invite link.

 

[lamb616]

That is awesome. WHat exactly do you do? I signed up and get 5 here or 10 there, but how do you get a lot of points? I signed up for mypoints and within a day or two they stopped the daily spin I never tried the other two, if you get referral links, pm me an invite link.

i usually win 2-3 times a day. I also usually get 1-2 codes a day (sign up for their FB or Twitter page to see codes). And then I do some special offers - either the free trial ones (where you have a week to cancel before you're charged) or else the smaller ones (just signing up for web sites). And also the occasional online shopping thru them.

iRazoo is basically a search site like SB but you can get 100 pts. a day just for "recommending" a site (25 pts. each, max of 4 each day). You just do a search then click on one of the links that come up. After 30 seconds you can "recommend" the site for 25 pts. Then I usually win on searching once a day too. I've noticed when I win on iRazoo, it's always on my first search. So if I do a search and don't win, I dont keep searching b/c I've never won on subsequent searches. I just give up and try again a couple hours later. they also put out codes, only about once a week though (sign up for their FB apge)

Inbox dollars I mainly just click on the emails they send. I do an occasional small special offer (signing up for sites).

I will PM you my links.

 

[marcyinPA]

I booked!!

We are staying at POP, Feb 1-6, and upgraded to the regular dining plan. We have 5-day tickets (not hoppers)

I've made my four ADR's...but they are probably going to change because I'm still waiting to find out which day the band will be marching in which park.

So, at this point:
Wed 2/2 - Whispering Canyon dinner
Thursday 2/3 -Chef Mickey's breakfast
Friday 2/4- 'Ohana dinner
Saturday 2/5- Biergarten dinner

Can't wait!!!

 

[Gina]

Gina, how was the movie? (DH would LOVE to see it)

It was really funny! But I'm a big Will Farrell fan, anyway. I was most surprised, though, by how funny Mark Wahlberg was. I wasn't expecting that.

 

[Racemom17]

Well I was pushing for a December trip from my -non-Disney lover *even though we went this year* when Disney released free dining for the week in Feb before Daytona 500...I saw my opportunity for bargaining...

So I called up my df and told him we could go to Daytona 500 if he spent the prior week at Disney...he told me I was sneaky but agreed...

So we leave on Feb 12th (driving) and will be staying at All Star Music Family Suite thru the 21st.

Just switched to Port Orleans Riverside and saved a ton of money!!

YAY!!

 

[lamb616]

Good morning fellow Broke/Depressed/Still Excited-about-Disney peeps.


Well my sister gave me a $25 Disney g.c. yesterday for my b-day so that was good and I immediately applied it towards our package. She said my father was planning to take us all out to eat for my b-day and give me scratch tickets and she told him I'd prefer a Disney g.c., lol. Let's hope he listens to her.
I think I'll feel better when I get the balance to under $3,000. Then it won't seem so unattainable.

 

[Maine-iac]

Count me in! I'm "technically" a February planner since we arrive February 28, but will spend most of the time there in March. Can't come soon enough

Same here only arriving on the 26th. Hoping for a room only discount to come out.

 

[Maine-iac]

I have a change on our dates it will be Feb 26-Mar 3. Then we head down to Ft Myers for a few days. I have not booked a room yet. I want CSR but only Junior Suites are available. I am going to wait on booking a room a little longer.
I am thinking of flying into Tampa as it will be cheaper than Orlando. Planning on a car rental for the entire trip anyway.
I have bought our park passes from UT. I am hoping for a room discount to come out or a pin code.
Oh and I signed up for the Face book page.

 

[Marlynmik]

Happy Birthday Lamb! A little bit closer!

I'm still trying to figure out where we're flying out of. . . 2 extra hours of driving (in possible snowstorm) and save $600???? It's more for the trip back, I just wanna get home ASAP. DD's passport came in yesterday so we'll be able to book our flights! I'm keeping ane eye on the price and they are just fluctuating up/down about $5. I don't know if I should keep waiting for deals. . .