Well first of all 
yippee for finding your Villains Tervis! I can totally believe a kid not finding it in their room, since I have three kids and I do my best to AVOID walking into their rooms most of the time for fear I will lose my MIND seeing the mess they have there!
Glad you are getting a handle on Victoria's trip. I guess I'm curious about the added fees thing. Do you mean the talk about the extra magic hours evenings that they will now be charging people for which reminds me of the days WAY BACK WHEN they used to have something just like that? I forget what it was called, but there used to be a time where you could pay a small extra fee and spend a few extra hours in the parks.
FOUND IT...E-Ride Nights...for $10...somebody posted about it here:
http://www.disboards.com/threads/new-mk-paid-after-hours-event-announced.3494480/#post-55395645
I think the one time I wanted to do it, they didn't have it and then they just went to the current system where everybody gets the extra magic hours as long as they are staying on site. The good news is, at least for the FREE extra magic hours (if they are still happening) you will get to take advantage of that at SOG as well.
I'm not sure what else unless you mean the talk of the resorts now adding a resort fee which I'm hoping doesn't happen but you never know. That would certainly suck, as would a parking fee (although we do pay one at SOG, but I think it's $5 a day or something) but I am sure people will pay it. I'm wondering how DVC members will be affected by those fees as I usually consider our resort stay a given "FREEBIE" but not if we will have to pay parking and/or resort fees now. It will still be cheap but not as cheap as before.
Hahaha... Yah - it's not even a matter of her not finding it - it's a matter of her not looking... Nevermind the mess. LOL I try very hard not too look when I go into their rooms.
Yes - I was referring to those added cost evenings, then I was also referring to the "resort fee"... Not to mention the added costs for tickets/resorts/food/everything... I could see it if they had another park going up - which they desperately need to disburse these crowds... It's been almost 20 years since they've opened AK. It's time.
I guess the extra cost evenings wouldn't be so bad, IF they don't alter the normal operating hours of the park. But I can see them closing these parks earlier, so the regular guests have less time in the parks on their normal ticket - maybe not at first, but I can see this happening eventually.
As long as EMH continues - I think these extra cost hours are OK... But like I said above - I'd only be on board with it, if the regular park hours weren't affected either. I think it may affect the crowds - but not by much... Not many can afford that fee?
I dunno... I just see a lot of penny pinching by Disney - then I see a lot of them nickle and diming us to death and it's getting hard to swallow. I am one of the few fortunate ones - as long as SoG is available, I will be taking full advantage of that option... However - I am a bit terrified to see what changes are going to be coming their way, as well.
I was thinking the exact same thing about Disney just last night....I think my trip in August will be my last one for a while. It makes me sad, but there are a lot of other vacations we could do for what the Disney trips cost, and since my husband doesn't really love Disney like my older daughter and I do (younger daughter enjoys it but is fine doing other things).....it's getting harder and harder to justify the cost. I really do feel like they're pricing the average person out of being able to do a trip. Did you see the news about them charging for extra "after hours" at Magic Kingdom? $149 for three hours. That's ridiculous. All this while they're cutting staff positions, reducing the number of street performers, scaling back the street entertainment (one of my favorite things), not keeping up on maintenance, and half of DHS practically closed.... I feel like it's just not the value it used to be. And that makes me sad. :-(
I'm SO glad you found your mug! And yea for Victoria not having any cavities. Wow, I wish I could say that.... I need major dental work done but I'm putting it off because I'm terrified of the dentist.
I don't think that my October trip will be my last for a while - but it will definitely be more solo trips for me, until the girls can really start pitching in for some of their own costs... But I do believe - whole heartedly - that we are done staying at Disney resorts... As sad as that makes me... There is just no way that Disney can beat the value of SoG - and believe me, I am very thankful that we have that option available to us.
The sad part - is there is no such thing as a cheap vacation to Disney. One of the reasons I started taking the girls there on "girls trips" is that it was easy and fairly priced... Our 2012 trip was a total of $1800 at French Quarter for 9 nights/10 days for the 3 of us... That included resort, dining and park tickets - plus all the extras, it did not include airfare... Granted, we got free dining on that trip - but still... Gone are the days where the price listed was the price you paid... Now it is just so confusing. Most of the fun has been sucked out of the planning and it's virtually impossible to plan your own trip. I dunno - maybe I am just being overly bitter about it? I am trying hard not to be - but they just keep knocking us upside the head with changes, and every one of them is deeper and deeper into our pockets... All the while - like you said - cutting some of the very things that make Disney unique. I do not see the value or benefit to anyone but them.
I am so glad I found it too... I now hope that some day I can find a replacement to Allison's Scooby Doo Tervis - because that one was so cool.
Sue reminded me below - I forgot that I had sealants put on the girls' teeth when they were younger... All of their teeth were treated except for their very last molars... That was done the ONE year we had dental insurance... So, that's likely why V has had no cavities. LOL I'd forgotten all about that.
I hope you have a great day!
And thanks for the info about what you order at Chipotle. I definitely prefer white rice over brown...and it never occurred to me to ask for half-servings of rice in the bowl!!! Can't believe I never thought of that.
Your welcome... I forgot that I had to figure out the "half rice" portion a backwards way - because it's not an option on their web site - so it's not perfectly accurate, but close enough for me. I built it with and with out rice then took half the difference for everything.
Congrats on feeling like you have your eating back on track! Send me some of that please! With easter and my oldest's bday party this weekend, I am afraid!!
Thanks! I have really been feeling confident lately... I am not back where I was last spring - but I am making my way there - I know that for sure.
My only advice for a difficult weekend like the one coming - is to try and work it out in your head before hand... Remember that ONLY the events themselves are a celebration - so try to limit the "badness" to only those meals - don't make it an "all day" thing... And have a plan for the meals directly after. My girls are older now, so rather than doing Easter baskets for everyone - I will just do one giant basket on the table - which I will do my best not to put anything I love in there and hopefully I can avoid it.
And even if the whole weekend is a disaster... Have a fool proof plan for Monday - so you have no excuse not to get right back at it. You can do this!
I remember doing e-nights in 2004...LOVED it. I want to say we paid about $30 per person. It was so worth it. But then they actually limited the number of guests to 5,000 I think it was. But $150 per guest...there would have to be a gourmet meal included in that price for me to do it. And then I would have to seriously think about it. I hope the backlash on the resort fees stuff will keep them from doing that.
I can see the value in the original E night... I cannot see the value in this newest scheme. I hope so too... I hope there is a LOT of backlash involved - I think it's just terrible everything they are trying to do... I get that they are a business - but I cannot see how it helps business to lose an entire tax bracket of people, because they just cannot afford to go there anymore. It's sad.
Great job keeping up with good food choices!! I have been just trying to cut out snacks and feel like I'm barely surviving!! You keep up the good work, so I feel inspired to do better, deal?? 
I saw Mo shared the info for your awesome bags last night, and I REALLY want one, but I just CANNOT make a decision for which character I want to commit to!!!! Guess I have til September to get my act together on that!!! They really are tremendous--you do amazing things!
Thanks... I've been trying very hard to be good with snacking too... Try to eat more protein at your meals (keeps you satisfied longer) and make sure you are getting a fat in there too - on top of lots of veggies. I find if my meal template is on track - it's quite easy for me to get from meal to meal with out mindless snacking in between.... If I do need a snack - I try to make it a high protein one. I've been trying very hard to stay with in my macros every day - while staying in my calorie range of 1600-1700/day, so as long as my snacks keep me in that range, I am A-OK with snacking. Some of my favorites are boiled eggs and full fat cottage cheese... Both of which are a good source of protein.
Thanks so much.
I cannot agree with you more about the $$ and Disney. Walt would NOT want it this way. He wanted somewhere FAMILY'S can go and enjoy.
this is getting insane.
Shhh thinking of themes for my NEW BAG!
Yah - I am just really salty about it right now... It's impacted so many people and their trips. I am not happy.
I had a good idea for you...
I didn't even realize that WDW was adding this on. It seems like Disney in general is starting to add on different "extra-extra special paid events" now. We went to Mickey's Halloween Party (at
Disneyland) last year and they added on an extra event at the Blue Bayou Restaurant. If you paid $150 per person (on top of your Halloween ticket which was around $63-$80 depending on the night), you could get a special meal at the BB, a meet and greet with the villain from Princess and the Frog and then have reserved seating for the Paint the Night and Halloween Screams parade. When all was said and done, it was a 3 hour event, with the party only lasting ~6 hours. It was pretty ridiculous, because the evening could be costing over $200 per person, which would add up incredibly fast for a family. Then, you're missing out on most of the party, because you had to stay at the restaurant or in the special group and couldn't go around the park trick-or-treating or enjoying the atmosphere.
The funny thing was, a special reserved space wasn't needed. Our family just walked right up and got a great spot 15 minutes before the fireworks started. We did wait a little under an hour for the parade, which was fine because that was when we stopped and grabbed a quick dinner. We probably didn't have to wait that long for the parade, but it was nice to take a break in the middle of the party.
Anyway, still following along and love seeing all of your bag creations! I wish I was that great with the sewing machine! We created special costumes for Mickey's Halloween Party last year that we made mostly from scratch. My mom's job was the sewing machine! lol No way would they have turned out if I would have used the sewing machine! We went as Cinderella and her crew. The Evil Stepmother and Stepsisters loved us! lol It was a lot of fun to make those costumes and they turned out pretty great! There is some talk now that this year they won't allow costumes to the Halloween party for adults over the age of 14, but I'm thinking that because it's a special paid event, they'll allow it. Part of the fun is being able to dress up and walk around Disneyland! I think they'll announce that the "No Costumes for Adults" rule will only apply to general operating hours, not for extra events like MHP in DL or
MNSSHP in WDW. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed!
I have a hard time seeing the value in these added cost items too... I guess - I don't really care that Disney is offering them, as long as they don't infringe on the regular operating hours... but I can see them starting to close every park early - so they can sell extra hours to guests... Which would make the (very little) value of a regular park ticket to be non-existent. It's tiresome...
I am very much looking forward to MNSSHP this year... We haven't done it since 2008, and it's such a great memory for our family. We won't be doing anything extra though.
Just the party for us.
Your costumes sound magnificent! I did see that rule about costumes - I wish Disney would come out with some clarifying rules on that. I am pretty sure that V is planning to Disney bound now... And I am just going to wear my Halloween themed outfit. So, I think we will be OK? I hope. I totally understand their rules for this, and are just concerned from a safety standpoint... but it is frustrating at the same time.
I have been dealing with the AP and package ticket problem myself. I had booked a free dining package so we could take our son and two grandsons to WDW in June and I had to buy a 5 day ph. So I have asked the experts on the Theme Park forum all about converting the package tickets, etc. And since I am a numbers person, I had no trouble doing the math for the conversion.
Thanks for the compliment.
Yay. I am really happy that you found it. Did you ever end up tearing your trunk apart to look for the cup?
My kids had plastic sealant put on their teeth when they were kids and as a result they hardly ever get cavities. I wish DH and I were as lucky as they are.
Well, personally - I find your wealth of knowledge to be invaluable to me.
All of your advice and info has been dead on accurate - so I appreciate that a lot! I am glad you keep stopping in - at least you keep me well informed.
LOL
I do think that "same room, same everything" is a bunch of fooey... I feel like that AP holder should be excluded from that - after all - we do have tickets. I guess - as long as you can convert it to next year's AP - I guess it would be OK - IF you are planning to do another one... But can you even do that?
Hahaha... No - I never did rip apart my trunk... Any time that I had the time, Allison had my car... I still need to clean it out though - LOL... Everything in my life needs a bit of spring cleaning right now.
Thanks for the reminder! I'd forgotten about that. LOL I did have sealant put on the girls' teeth, the ONE year we did have dental insurance... Yup - so V doesn't have great teeth... The sealant is just working - as it should. LOL
Thank you! I can see that the AP will not end up saving me anything in October. We did indeed book before ticket prices increased. Thank you for the wonderful explanation!
I found, with mine, I could not break even with 2 trips - there had to be at least 3... Which was part of the reason I was able to go on the trip with Suzi and Bradey - that was technically my 3rd trip, even though it happened first. I still wish I could do a 4th trip on it - but as of now, I just don't see it happening... even though the tickets would be "free" - everything else costs so darned much.
Yay! So happy you found it! At least it wasn't too far...safe in your house and not somewhere else!
Lucky girl...I've had my fair share with cavities lol:
Nice savings! It always makes shopping more fun when that happens!
I know, all these extra charges and cuts are getting way out of hand. Some people in charge need to get their head on straight...:
Yup - we all got lucky with that find. Both Josh and I said to each other that we both "saw it recently, very recently" - -but neither of us could remember where we'd seen it. Just happy to have it back.
I need to caveat - I'd forgotten that I'd had sealants put on the girls' teeth several years ago... So, that's likely the reason for no cavities.
Not their good genetics. LOL
Yes - that was super fun! And still, I feel guilty for it... Sigh. But I wore my new jeans yesterday and they are super comfy... I am glad to have an extra pair - even if it is the end of the season. I always seem to wear jeans.
I agree - it's way out of hand, but I fear it will get worse before it gets better. Not sure what they are thinking - but in the end, I think they will lose $$, because at some point people will just stop coming. In a way - as sad as it is - I hope that happens.
Looks like a lot of good things happend yesterday
I'm so glad you found your Villians Tervis
How great that it went well at the dentist for V. She is so lucky to have good teeth. I can totally believe that she doesn't have a single cavity because I don't have one my self
Crossing my fingers it will go well for Allison at the dentist too later in the week.
YAY for finding your favorite jeans in a size 9/10 on sale
I'm so glad to hear your eating went well yesterday.
I can't wait to hear what side project you are doing in your sewing room this week.
It's sad that Disney has started to add items to the resorts and parks that are an added fee. I've always bragged about Disney having everything included in their park tickets. It has been so nice to be able to do everything you want in the park without thinking about what it will cost extra.
I woke up this morning to the terrible news about the bombing in Brussels, Belgium.
A friend called me today and discussed personal assistant. It was nice to get some input about what it is wise to think about when applying for a personal assistant.
Yes - it was a really good day - lots of great and nice things happened.
I have lots of side projects that I am working on in the coming weeks!
I agree - I've always felt the same way - going to Disney was easy because everything was included. It seems that is no longer the case and it's very frustrating.
I saw that terrible news. Allison had a friend in the airport when it happened. Thankfully he is OK - but he is stuck there while all of this is sorted out. My prayers go out to everyone!
Are you planning to get a personal assistant?
Yay for finding your Villians Tervis! I bought the new
Castaway Cay Tervis on our last cruise and take it with me to work almost everyday. One day I noticed I didn't have it and went into panic mode. About a week later, I was making copies in the faculty work room and there was my Tervis sitting on the work table. I was over the moon excited!
I have been so disappointed with Disney lately. With all the cutbacks, ticket prices increasing and now paying extras for things that used to be included, I'm not feeling the magic. Our original plan was to go to Disney next summer but we decided to move our trip up to this summer so we could celebrate our twins' 10th birthday in the World. Honestly, if I wasn't going this summer I don't know if next summer's trip would be happening. We already decided we aren't going in 2017 because there are other places we want to travel but with all the changes we may hold off until 2019 to go back. It really makes me sad but Disney really is making it unaffordable for many people.
I've seen that one - it's super cute! I am so glad you found it - I would have been very bummed about that one too!
That's exactly it... The Magic is going fast! A person used to be able to go on the website and book a package, pay for all of it and it was a worry free vacation... It seems, now there will be extra fees all over the place and I really feel like - with these extra cost evenings - eventually they will cut regular operating hours... Which makes the $100+ single park day ticket absolutely worthless, and even just regular park hopper tickets, the value will be very little. It's sad, very very sad. Disney had just priced every median family out of the equation - and i feel like the median income family is their bread and butter... I hope they learn fast.
I agree with you on the prices at Disney. I have been seeing all the increases in the food prices this past month, QS places have big jumps as well. It's hard to understand the need to raise prices so often when they make so much money already. Sigh! I do love your where are we Christmas ornament cups. I need to have the big mugs because of the Keurig coffee maker, the coffee is to strong in smaller ones lol! I love Chipotle as well.
Sigh... I guess I haven't even looked at food prices... I better go do that to see if I need to adjust my food budget for V's trip. Sigh.
I could see it - IF they were adding a new park - which they desperately NEED... It's been almost 20 years since AK opened and they need to disburse these crowds somewhere.
Hahaha... I understand about the Keruig... We don't hardly use ours anymore... Much to Josh's disappointment... It was just getting too expensive... I was spending upwards of $30 bi-weekly on just coffee... That was really eating into our grocery budget in a big way. So, I put the kibosh on it, and said "only on weekends" - but even then I stopped buying. Back to good ol' Folgers and our drip coffee pot... $7.99 bi-weekly.
Yup - Chipotle is my weakness in life... We eat there entirely too much. Sadly though - it's really the only restaurant I trust... I know what I am eating when I get there and what's in my food - it's easy. And it tastes so good! LOL
I know what You mean about Disney and all the add ons. I have a family of six, and I have felt like they have totally out priced larger families for a Disney vacation. I think now, as the price increases and add on items continue, the people with average sized families are really starting to feel the pinch. I priced out a trip on site at Disney, with one at Universal with an off site partner hotel, and there was a $2000 difference in price. As much as I would like to take another Disney trip, it just isn't going to happen.
Exactly! And that is the sad part... Disney has purposely priced the median income family right out of the market... And it's not the larger tax brackets that love Disney - I get the feeling anyways - they mostly go other places... It's the median income families that are the repeated guests... And I hope/pray that Disney feels the pinch sooner rather than later. The only way Disney will bring prices down, is if people stop going, and I have a feeling that is coming sooner rather than later. It's so sad. I know - it's getting harder and harder for me to take trips and I don't have that large of a family.
OMG don't get me started (whoops, already did!). These new extra hours are during my trip. I am arriving on a Thursday which is also my birthday. I had made FP for the evening at MK. Well, now it's an event night, so I can expect more people starting at 7pm (I was looking forward to getting there in the evening and enjoying the park until close). Grrrr! I'm trying to decide whether to go to another park instead. I'm not a happy camper. On the flip side, it makes staying at SoG more and more affordable! (And less reason to even stay onsite if you can afford to go at all). I think Disney will see a drop in resort occupancy if the keep taking away the onsite perks and charging for them instead. It's already a premium price to stay onsite but at least it included perks like EMH.
This is terrible - especially for you - who already had your trip planned.
I completely understand your frustration, and would be very upset too and trying to find a different game plan... Sadly - there are only so many days in a trip, and we all want to "say hello" to our favorite parks - it doesn't seem like you are in WDW until you are in MN - at least for me.
I agree - I hope Disney feels the pinch sooner rather than later... The sooner they feel it, the sooner things will change. I hope.
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Yesterday was an exciting day for me...
I lifted weights right away in the morning. I even strapped on my heavy-duty knee brace and did dead lifts. It worked out OK, and I didn't have any added knee pain from it. I had intended to go for a walk - but that part didn't happen... I just got too wrapped up in other stuff.
I also had some business stuff to attend to - which went well.
Then, I went upstairs to work on my side projects... That also went super well - I was able to make excellent progress!
We had some car jockeying around to do yesterday afternoon... Allison had to work and I had my meeting... So, V was able to get some good drive time hours accomplished.
She is starting to catch on quite well... She has 21 hours out of 50 done - so almost half way there... We are working on several things - mostly her "smoothness" while starting/stopping/turning. Also, her double checking when she is turning... She doesn't quite realize that she needs to be swift when she is turning into traffic... When you have a safe opening - you need to double check it's safe, then make your turn in a swift way... She double checks, but then she isn't very swift - there's a delay in her reaction - which sometimes makes her turns unsafe, because she doesn't have the distance that she originally had. Does that make sense? So we are working on that. And parking... At the moment - we are still only taking spots that have 2 openings together. But there is good progress... I don't feel quite as on edge when I am riding with her anymore.
Today... Well, we are in a winter storm advisory... Which is a bummer... We've all had shorts on with in the last few days. Oh well - this time of year, it doesn't stay long. I plan to take V out to drive in it before it gets too terrible.
Other than that, we'll be hunkered down at home all day.
I will work out this morning - probably my WATP and abs. I wanted to go for a walk too - but the wind is pretty harsh out there, so I think I"ll skip it?
I have some paperwork stuff I have to do for my business this morning.
Then I will be working upstairs all day... I am hoping to finish one of my side projects and start on the next one.
I hope you all have a wonderful day!!! Pixie Dust to all!
D~
