There's a squirrel in my head! My first PTR for WDW and beyond...

[Marlea98]

Glad to hear DS is OK-I'd be keeping up that OS insurance for your future trips if the appendix is potentially grumbling a bit! Trip sounds like its coming together great-I hate all the having to keep track of who to call back when threads because of all the delayed booking openings for different things-and I should be used to it being a Project Manager!! Don't know how people just wing it!

We wouldn't travel without insurance especially because of my skiing ability

I have printed off calendars for November to January and as I book things I write it on the calendar as a visual reminder for planning. We are a mix of planned and winging things.

 

[Marlea98]

Another thing ticked off my list!

I have just paid a deposit on a 2 night stay at the Royal Pacific Resort in the standard 2 queen bed room. It was $633 including tax for the bed and breakfast rate, but for some reason only 2 adults get breakfast included, not the kids. That kind of sucks.

I ummed an ahhed about booking direct with Loews or through Dreams Unlimited. In the end I decided to give DU a go. Their price was exactly the same as booking direct though, but what the heck. I kind of thought I'd get a discount through DU but I've read heaps of threads on DIS about Loews and it seems they don't really discount or have discount codes to use. Maybe it's because they've got a willing market because of the early entry to WWOHP? I did contemplate booking for one night only, but we will be driving in from a one night stay near Cape Canaveral (we'll get off our cruise and head out to the Space Centre, stay the night then head back to Orlando), and when we get in to the RPR it will be too late to check in and get organised for the early entry. It's our only on-site accommodation for the whole trip anyway so I am fine with it.

So, other than a bit of shopping today at Big W - gotta love the clearance racks of Miss Minnie stuff for DD - and catching up with some friends from out of town, my RPR booking has been a great way to cap off a lovely day

Another step closer to our holiday

 

[Aussie Wendy]

 

[Marlea98]

I saw that Universal is offering a 3 day park to park ticket for the price of a two (buy a 2 day get an extra day free). If I buy it through the website and use my Amex card we can get access to the Amex lounge too. I'm contemplating buying the tickets instead of trying to search for a better deal elsewhere in case the extra free day won't be offered lately. I just have to go back and look at the site in case there is a use by date on the tickets. When we went to Universal California we bought one day with an extra free day at the gate so I don't know if it's an offer that's only released every now and then or not.

I have also printed off the Bubba Gump and Margaritaville menus to add to my planning folder, then did my little happy dance with the kids. I'm wondering why DD thought it was funny to pretend I was drunk????? I'm not a drinker, even though I did get a wee bit tipsy last time It was the Long Island Iced Tea that did it

 

[Marlea98]

According to my DCL reservation it's 324 days until we sail away

 

[Marlea98]

Darn. The 2 + 1 free day Park to Park tickets for Universal are only valid until the end of June Oh well. I'll keep looking for deals.

On the bright side, we have a moderate chance of a cyclone off the coast or in the Gulf of Carpentaria over the weekend - hopefully we will get some good rain from it

DH came home from work this afternoon and said he knows someone who has friends who travel and house sits for them when they go away. He's considering asking if those people want to come and house sit for us. I'm not sure about that, it'd mean I would have to do a massive clean up before we go away, more than I would normally do If we have to go that route it would mean they would look after the dogs for us and it would save us around $1500 in kennel fees for the 3 dogs, but our boy dog likes to wander and I'd be worried they wouldn't keep an eye on him. Another thing to think about I guess. I suppose in relation to the cleaning thing I could organise a cleaning service to come in before we go and do most of the big stuff for me, like cleaning the windows, skirting boards etc. I really do dislike cleaning. But I would also have to consider a big clean out in the months leading up to our going, too, as we seem to have collected so much stuff yet again

Decisions decisions.

 

[PrincessInOz]

According to my DCL reservation it's 324 days until we sail away

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Darn. The 2 + 1 free day Park to Park tickets for Universal are only valid until the end of June Oh well. I'll keep looking for deals.

On the bright side, we have a moderate chance of a cyclone off the coast or in the Gulf of Carpentaria over the weekend - hopefully we will get some good rain from it

DH came home from work this afternoon and said he knows someone who has friends who travel and house sits for them when they go away. He's considering asking if those people want to come and house sit for us. I'm not sure about that, it'd mean I would have to do a massive clean up before we go away, more than I would normally do If we have to go that route it would mean they would look after the dogs for us and it would save us around $1500 in kennel fees for the 3 dogs, but our boy dog likes to wander and I'd be worried they wouldn't keep an eye on him. Another thing to think about I guess. I suppose in relation to the cleaning thing I could organise a cleaning service to come in before we go and do most of the big stuff for me, like cleaning the windows, skirting boards etc. I really do dislike cleaning. But I would also have to consider a big clean out in the months leading up to our going, too, as we seem to have collected so much stuff yet again

Decisions decisions.

We're the opposite. I'm the one who thinks some-one coming in to house and pet sit (we know a couple of young but reliable girls who house sit) would be great and DH is the one who is dead against it.

Not sure why you feel you would need to do a BIG house clean. No-one would expect anything more than the usual cleaned bathrooms, kitchen and vacuumed or mopped floors...but I admit I am not a house proud kind of person. As serial owner builders I have learnt to live with gaps in flooring, holes in walls or ceilings and ladders as permanent fixtures in living rooms, sometimes for years! Kind of draws attention away from a bit of dust or smeary windows!

 

[battymum]

How well does DH know this person ?

I'm with Wendy, people that care about such things would probably have a house of their own, and not be in the house sitting game.

That said, a couple of my girlfriends used to house sit when we were young, like 18, they certainly didn't trash anyone's house, but there were definitely a lot of get togethers at these houses, we were all young and living with parents, so it was like freedom!!!!!

They did it a few times though, all word of mouth recommendations, so they can't have been too bad, and for people that went away for a few months. Good times!!

No one was checking for dust.

I think if they are trustworthy people it would be a good idea, especially if it saves you so much on kennels.

 

[Marlea98]

We're the opposite. I'm the one who thinks some-one coming in to house and pet sit (we know a couple of young but reliable girls who house sit) would be great and DH is the one who is dead against it.

Not sure why you feel you would need to do a BIG house clean. No-one would expect anything more than the usual cleaned bathrooms, kitchen and vacuumed or mopped floors...but I admit I am not a house proud kind of person. As serial owner builders I have learnt to live with gaps in flooring, holes in walls or ceilings and ladders as permanent fixtures in living rooms, sometimes for years! Kind of draws attention away from a bit of dust or smeary windows!

Because the house is an absolute mess - especially now that it's school holidays When we sold our last house it was 3 bedroom, study, two lounge rooms etc. This is 3 bedroom one lounge room so things are still homeless and just in boxes in corners and we've been here for almost 3 years We are semi rural and our house is forever dusty, too, and no matter how fast you sweep them away, spider webs reappear!

I don't know if I'm more nervous about someone being in our house and looking at and touching our stuff, but more about would they treat our dogs the way we do????? Our dogs are rather spoilt...

 

[Marlea98]

How well does DH know this person ?

I'm with Wendy, people that care about such things would probably have a house of their own, and not be in the house sitting game.

That said, a couple of my girlfriends used to house sit when we were young, like 18, they certainly didn't trash anyone's house, but there were definitely a lot of get togethers at these houses, we were all young and living with parents, so it was like freedom!!!!!

They did it a few times though, all word of mouth recommendations, so they can't have been too bad, and for people that went away for a few months. Good times!!

No one was checking for dust.

I think if they are trustworthy people it would be a good idea, especially if it saves you so much on kennels.

They are friends of someone from work. These people house sit a bit for them when they go away and they reckon that the house is cleaner when they get back than it was when they left it. I'm not sure but these house sitters just travel, maybe they're old or something? I don't know, I'll have to double check. I was more interested in trying to tell DH about the Universal tickets than listening to what he had to say...

 

[Marlea98]

Nothing much to report here today.

I've got a credit card that's itching to be used but I can't book anything right now I want to wait for a good deal on Universal tickets, I suppose I could buy our WDW tickets, though I can't book NYC accommodation until I can book flights. We are still undecided about spending the night near Cape Canaveral after the cruise, or just driving back to Orlando after touring the Space Centre and spend the night there.

I did email our DU person and ask him to apply our AAA (RACQ) membership for a discount though and he said okay.

This weekend I have to do Student Protection Training update online for work. It's now an annual requirement It's better than spending half a day somewhere doing it in a workshop I guess.

 

[alicia1506]

hi, i'm subbing in here

the house sitting thing is a pretty personal thing i guess. for me, i would feel the need to make the house **** & span (god knows, it would take 6 months to achieve it as our place is tiny and we have a heap of stuff!!) before i let someone stay here, and that's even for family. i'm not sure how i'd feel about a relative stranger staying here. then again.. there is that saving on kennel fees

my aunt & uncle used to house sit - they had a motor cycle accident a few years back, it was really, really bad and they were both pretty horribly injured. they ended up losing their house due to the medical bills etc and so would house sit for other couples to help make ends meet. they are the type to clean your house while you're away, take care of the pets and spoil them type of people and i would be so ok if they wanted to house sit for me... but i know them some one i don't know... not sure if i would be ok with that

sorry, that probably doesn't help you make a decision that was just me rambling on as per usual

good luck with deciding what to spend on the c/card. mine is in hiding at the moment

 

[Marlea98]

Alicia I'm the same as you I think, it's probably easier if it was family. The other way of looking at it is that there will be someone here to keep an eye on it and as it's cyclone season when we are away they are likely to batten down the hatches were anything to spin up or threaten. I've still got a while to decide though.

I got an email back from our DU man about the AAA rate and it can only be applied to room only rates. Because of the savings to be had I've gone from bed and breakfast rate to room only; it's an almost $120 saving and the breakfast rate only covered two adults no kids anyway. We would never eat $60 worth of breakfast each day for all of us anyway!

 

[alicia1506]

who is your DU travel agent?

mine is lovely. he was so helpful last year when we were planning the dcl and dlr onsite stay, and when we had to cancel, he was nothing but gracious and lovely to deal with.

this year, he has been so helpful in booking our eastern caribbean with 2 staterooms, plus our pre-night stay at the mco hyatt, plus organising transfers etc. and then switching it to a western caribbean on a different date etc.

i noticed that most of the DU travel agents are girls, so maybe we ended up with the same guy?

my guy is daniel (dan)

 

[Marlea98]

Mine's Walter, can't remember how to spell his surname but it's like Eschioll or something like that. Has been very patient so far (unless he's rolling his eyes when my emails come in )

 

[Minnie Sue Oz]

Chiming in with a couple of cents worth if that's ok?!

When we went away for the whole of December in 2010, we had a house sitter. It was one of the girls I work with, although I wouldn't say we went out socialising etc. I knew her well enough though to know that not only would she take care of our house, but she treated our furry babies as we would treat them It really was a load off our minds to not have to worry about the house and especially as we were gone for Christmas.

If you can find some reliable references for these people, then I would say it was a good idea. especially if you can put the money you would normally spend on the kennels towards you trip...............you can never, ever have too much spending money, right???!!!
I have alreday lined up the same young lady to come and stay for us next year too!

Glad to hear the planning is all going well. I tell you, you will be there before you know it! I just cannot believe how fast this year has started.

Off to do some trawling...........I pick a new "thing to do in........( insert city here! ) every night.

 

[becpee]

I had a young girl housesit last year when we were away, it's a win/win really.
She stayed here for free and looked after our animals, she had a friend stay sometimes too which is fine.
We came back, the house was spotless and some of our friends commented to us that thy saw her walking the dog while we were away.
I wouldn't hesitate to have her or most of the young kids I work with housesit for us.

 

[Marlea98]

Thanks for the good points of a house sitter. I think I'm more concerned about how they would treat my dogs than anything, they're so spoiled and rather naughty if truth be told. The boy dog likes to wander and I'd be worried if he got out how they'd feel. And my red girl dog likes to boss the other two dogs around and sometimes will start some good fights, but generally they're quite good and like to just laze around in the house. I worry about leaving them as much as I do about the kids!

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

A housesitter for the animals would be great if you knew you could trust them, if not I would be nervous.

I've only just subbed in so sorry for my lateness. Just wanted to say that I would fly out of NYC on 23 Dec if possible, rather than 24 Dec. That way if there are any weather delays (which happen often), you would have an extra day up your sleeve to get to Montana. Plus Christmas Eve at the airports would be a complete nightmare.