Twice As Nice & Double the Fun: an offsite October PTR where “2” is the magic number

We saw Pets last night. It was cute, somewhat dark, and a fun time. My teens were surprised for what they thought was a kids movie, that they mentioned the death of characters more than once. Since you are a minion fan, they are the same movie maker for Pets, and you can see that. Also, like most movies, stay for the credits so you can see a funny with a minion.

Ahh, a beautiful sunny Sunday. Counting down the days until October.
 
Now that we have our tickets for MNSSHP I am formulating a plan. DD and DH will be at their HHN event the same night. Looking into Uber, it would be $20-$30 over to Disney, but then possibly surge pricing after MNSSHP when we went back to our Universal hotel. So at a minimum about $50 and at a maximum... $80? More? .I don't drive and I don't want to ask DH to take us over to Disney and pick us up (though he would) and cut into their prep and party time. So....I looked at staying at Pop or an Allstar for the night and it would only be $86 for All Star Music. We could use Disney transportation after the party, get a good nights sleep and dd and dh could pick us up in the morning. We plan to spend the after party day doing our outlet shopping anyway. I can't see a flaw in this plan but I figured I would run it by you Gina (and the rest of you fine readers) and see what you thought. I'm pretty sure I will book today.
 


Pigletto, if it was me, I'd stay at the cheapest Disney hotel, and yes use the bus to take you back to the Disney hotel after the party. You will be tired, and having a nice place to sleep, not having to wait and have DH drive in the dark, fighting the other traffic of outgoing party goers. Plus, the HHN crew can then not worry about you either. That's my 2 cents. Plus, DH can drop you off at the Disney hotel after lunch, and then you could hopefully rest in your room, then take the hotel bus to the party too.

Hope Gina enjoyed the Pets movie.
 
We saw Pets last night. It was cute, somewhat dark, and a fun time. My teens were surprised for what they thought was a kids movie, that they mentioned the death of characters more than once. Since you are a minion fan, they are the same movie maker for Pets, and you can see that. Also, like most movies, stay for the credits so you can see a funny with a minion.

Ahh, a beautiful sunny Sunday. Counting down the days until October.

We really enjoyed the movie, too :goodvibes. The little pre-movie feature with the Minions was hysterical! And watching it in 3D was pretty novel, I must say. An interesting new experience for this old girl.

Jake LOVED that they had Kevin Hart doing the voice for the evil bunny. That made the movie for him all on its own.

Nutmeg is extremely poisonous if injected intravenously.

Don't you wonder what poor individual was the reason for that discovery? :sad2: Good grief.

Now that we have our tickets for MNSSHP I am formulating a plan. DD and DH will be at their HHN event the same night. Looking into Uber, it would be $20-$30 over to Disney, but then possibly surge pricing after MNSSHP when we went back to our Universal hotel. So at a minimum about $50 and at a maximum... $80? More? .I don't drive and I don't want to ask DH to take us over to Disney and pick us up (though he would) and cut into their prep and party time. So....I looked at staying at Pop or an Allstar for the night and it would only be $86 for All Star Music. We could use Disney transportation after the party, get a good nights sleep and dd and dh could pick us up in the morning. We plan to spend the after party day doing our outlet shopping anyway. I can't see a flaw in this plan but I figured I would run it by you Gina (and the rest of you fine readers) and see what you thought. I'm pretty sure I will book today.

I think that is a marvelous idea! :thumbsup2 In your shoes, I would book that in a heartbeat. Anything to simplify a vacation is worth every penny, IMHO (and in this case, the cost to simplify is extremely minimal over what you would be paying anyway ::yes::).

Pigletto, if it was me, I'd stay at the cheapest Disney hotel, and yes use the bus to take you back to the Disney hotel after the party. You will be tired, and having a nice place to sleep, not having to wait and have DH drive in the dark, fighting the other traffic of outgoing party goers. Plus, the HHN crew can then not worry about you either. That's my 2 cents. Plus, DH can drop you off at the Disney hotel after lunch, and then you could hopefully rest in your room, then take the hotel bus to the party too.

Hope Gina enjoyed the Pets movie.

Great minds think alike! I ditto everything that Lynne posted above.
 
Flights


When it comes to flights, we generally have three airport options to choose from: Toronto (which is the closest), Syracuse NY or Buffalo NY. We always price them all out before booking to ensure we’re getting the best price possible: flights are significant part of the travel budget no matter which way you slice it, and we consider our comfort and enjoyment of the journey there and back an important part of the trip.


While Toronto is the closest airport to our home, it’s still a 2 hour drive (assuming no traffic or construction delays: if that’s the case, add more time yet). That means we have a significant commute regardless of where we choose to fly from. Syracuse is our next closest option in distance, but oddly enough it always feels the longest drive of the three. That section of road between Watertown and Syracuse is the most boring, endless strip imaginable: I am sure poor Steve has to fight to stay awake as he whisks us along the I81. Buffalo, then, is the furthest away but not outside of what we consider acceptable. The drive there, despite being longer than the journey to Syracuse, always seems more enjoyable in a large part because of the never-ending stretch of cities to pass through along the way. It keeps the mind busy and provides us lots of opportunities to stop if necessary (to answer the call of tiny bladders :blush: or for snack necessities like coffee and Timbits).


Out of 10 trips thus far, we’ve only flown from Toronto once: on our very first trip to Orlando in 2009. The high price of air travel originating from Canadian airports makes driving a little further very attractive and the savings often substantial. One would have thought that the crazy high exchange rate would have changed that this time around, but alas, even with the exchange we were better off booking from New York State. From Toronto, round-trip October fares hovered in the $400-425 (Canadian) range without factoring in baggage fees, seat selection, and onboard snacks.


Then Jetblue released their schedule extension on February 7th, and fares from Buffalo rang in at $255 round trip: that included one checked bag per person, seat selection fees, unlimited snacks while in the air, and onboard entertainment (a TV at each seat). Even with an additional 30% in exchange added to the price, that only put us at about $331 Canadian per person (LOL, I say “only” like its cheap….which it isn’t :rotfl:…..but at least it’s cheap-er :thumbsup2). That savings of $200 for our twosome can happily be redirected to another aspect of the vacation.


Aside from price, there are other benefits of flying from a US airport. Both Syracuse and Buffalo are wonderfully small and much less of a headache to navigate. Buffalo airport hotels offer much more affordable park-and-fly packages (even with the exchange rate factored in), and it’s much nicer (in our humble opinion) clearing customs comfortably in the car as we drive over the border versus the more lengthy process at the airport. It also means we don’t need to be at the airport a full 3 hours before our flight (since we only need to clear security): this is particularly appreciated when we have an early morning departure.


So, our flights were booked way back in February for Friday, October 14th (departing Buffalo at 7:23 am) and Friday, October 28th (departing Orlando at 4:03 pm). We actually like those times: it gets us arriving in Orlando on that first day early enough to include a few fun highlights on the itinerary, and on the day we return home we’re neither rushing to the airport immediately after breakfast nor arriving in Buffalo in the dead of night. Our Jetblue options from Syracuse were not only double the price (sadly, they are the only airline that flies non-stop from Syracuse to Orlando….that means they can charge a high price for that convenience and, with no other option, have lots of people who will pay it:headache:) but the flight times were less favourable as well.


As always, we have upgraded to the Even More Space seating for both of us on both flights. A comfy Steve is a happy Steve, so we consider it money well spent to start and end our vacation on a high note. There is no other way to say it: he’s a big guy. Wide shoulders, long legs, and definitely not the ideal size for the compact seating on an airplane :crowded:.


For the first time in several trips, we’re on an Airbus 320 (the larger planes with the 3 x 3 seat configuration) which unfortunately isn’t ideal when we are travelling as a couple. The Embraer 190’s which have been used for the last several vacations offer 2 x 2 seating, which works perfect with me in the window seat and Steve in the aisle. With the 3 x 3, it’s much more complicated to figure out who should sit where. Right now I have us seated with me at the window and Steve in the aisle, and the middle seat empty (in the hopes that it stays that way…..a possibility unless the flight is full). I have been rethinking that strategy, though, and am wondering if I’d be better off to book us both on the aisle, one across from the other :scratchin. Should another passenger book that middle seat, I think it would be super awkward to have a stranger sitting between us :rolleyes2. While I hate to give up my window view, I am seriously considering making that seating change while there is still the ability to do so.


I am happy to note that my tolerance for flying seems to be getting better….or maybe I’ve just perfected the timing of when to take my Gravol :o. Either way, I haven’t been airsick since 2012, much to the relief of both Steve and the poor schmucks who end up with a seat in my general vicinity :goodvibes. I still don’t “enjoy” flying, per se…..especially landing (that still scares the bejeezus out of me)….but I’m definitely developing more of a comfort and tolerance for it. Practice really does make perfect .


Speaking of flying.......I have a question for you guys:


Have any of you ever taken a helicopter ride? In Orlando or elsewhere?

I'll be honest: despite my aversion to flying in an airplane, for some reason I'm dying to try a helicopter ride on one of our Orlando trips . I can only imagine how cool it would be to see the city.....and especially the parks.....from that vantage point :worship:. Of course, the experience would be sorely dampened by yours truly being hunched over a barf bag for the entire flight if the movement is really sickness-inducing :rolleyes1. I'd love to hear from someone who has been there and done that. Were you green by the time you disembarked? :sick:
 


Umm, I've flown everything from a helicopter, to a 4 seat step over the wing, to a small jet of 20 seats, to a jumbo jet, with a second story of seats. Have to admit, that 2 story one was awesome. Yes, I take my medicine for motion sickness on all of them. I didn't mind the helicopter, as although I don't like heights that much, felt like I wasn't going to fall. I've also been in a hot air balloon, and well, for me, that's one and done. While I was okay and not sick, the smell and kinda small basket made me not so happy. Taking pictures though, was so much fun. So, I would say, go for the helicopter ride, but take your medicine just to be sure, and maybe not eat or eat what you are used to when traveling in an airplane.

Oh, and I am glad you enjoyed the movie. That bunny was funny. I am sure if Universal does open a Pets ride, we will ride it, even if it's more for the kiddies. Everyone I think likes a pet or animal that is cute.

I hear ya for prices. I am so glad I bought my airfare tickets for October when they were first available. Then, about a month ago, they dropped 30 dollars, so I changed. From then on, about $100 more round trip more than I have paid. For Christmas, don't get me started. Crazy prices and had to fight to get at least an acceptable return flight. While October may not be sold out flights, the Christmas ones will be. Here's to cheap flights. And the funny thing, I'll be leaving when you arrive. I will be returning the car around noon.
 
Now that we have our tickets for MNSSHP I am formulating a plan. DD and DH will be at their HHN event the same night. Looking into Uber, it would be $20-$30 over to Disney, but then possibly surge pricing after MNSSHP when we went back to our Universal hotel. So at a minimum about $50 and at a maximum... $80? More? .I don't drive and I don't want to ask DH to take us over to Disney and pick us up (though he would) and cut into their prep and party time. So....I looked at staying at Pop or an Allstar for the night and it would only be $86 for All Star Music. We could use Disney transportation after the party, get a good nights sleep and dd and dh could pick us up in the morning. We plan to spend the after party day doing our outlet shopping anyway. I can't see a flaw in this plan but I figured I would run it by you Gina (and the rest of you fine readers) and see what you thought. I'm pretty sure I will book today.
Not a bad idea at all. Probably adds to the fun.
Are you familiar with the Ebates-Orbitz way of booking to maximize the discount? I've done it several times.
 
Thank you Gina and Lynn. You guys were thinking what I was.. it's so much easier and barely a cost difference. I will do it.
Not a bad idea at all. Probably adds to the fun.
Are you familiar with the Ebates-Orbitz way of booking to maximize the discount? I've done it several times.
Oh yeah!!! Yes I read about it but had forgot. I will use this method. Thank you!
 
Gina to answer your seating questions.. I had this conundrum when I booked all of us on Jetblue for our cruise last week. It came down to DH and my one brother left, and I wasn't sure how to seat them. Ultimately I went with Dh on the aisle and my brother (who's not a big guy) in the middle seat. My reasoning being, that if it's a full flight then at least they are sitting beside one another and not with a stranger in the middle. Yes the stranger gets the window seat but oh well. The thing with Steve across the aisle from you is that the rows are never lined perfectly ( on Southwest's 3 and 3 configuration anyway) so he's likely to be back a bit forward or behind you isn't he? That makes it difficult to chat quietly.
When we fly with our kids for family vacation I put the kids and I in one row, and dh across the aisle, but with the rows not lining up we don't end up chatting much unless necessary. If you left your window seat open like I suggest, it would hopefully be one of the last to fill up because it's an upgrade fee.
 
Speaking of flying.......I have a question for you guys:

Have any of you ever taken a helicopter ride? In Orlando or elsewhere?

I'll be honest: despite my aversion to flying in an airplane, for some reason I'm dying to try a helicopter ride on one of our Orlando trips . I can only imagine how cool it would be to see the city.....and especially the parks.....from that vantage point :worship:. Of course, the experience would be sorely dampened by yours truly being hunched over a barf bag for the entire flight if the movement is really sickness-inducing :rolleyes1. I'd love to hear from someone who has been there and done that. Were you green by the time you disembarked? :sick:
I know for a fact that WDW is a no fly zone. Can't speak to the other parks but it may be safe to think they are as well.
For future reference never take one of the tour flights over the Grand Canyon. The safety record is really bad. You don't want to hear any more.
 
For the first time in several trips, we’re on an Airbus 320 (the larger planes with the 3 x 3 seat configuration) which unfortunately isn’t ideal when we are travelling as a couple
I wouldn't be too bummed about it yet... For our 2014 trip we were booked on an airbus, and about two weeks prior to our departure we were downsized to an Embraer! Hopefully this happens for you as well!
 
Wow - I take a break from the DIS Boards for a week (ahhh, stay-cation), and you've wrapped up the old trip report and started a new one. You are a busy, busy gal!

I am sorry about the non-job offer. You seem to have an awesome outlook about it and fortunately work for some pretty good peeps. That can make it all the better.

I cannot believe how much you have planned already. I feel woefully under planned, as we are at the four month/three week countdown from today and I clearly have quite a bit of work to do. I've never done sky auction though. I'm still trying to find an Orlando hotel for our pre-Disney stay and there are so many choices with so many varying prices, I am just at a loss. Do you find sky auction easy to work with?

I wanted to throw out a couple of Halloween costume ideas that are very easy and can accommodate all shapes and sizes. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.
Halloween pic 1.jpg Halloween pic 2.jpg
 
You will have a new option for airport opening up right around the time of this trip (but I wouldn't consider booking until the flights actually start). Looks like Ogdensburg NY has direct flights on Allegiant Air into Sanford starting in October, we drove by the airport expansion last month and it was moving along well so that start date seems plausible. That would be about the same distance as Watertown for you. Of course I don't think Ogdensburg has a reasonable hotel that I have ever seen, but airport parking is free (at least it is now). Interestingly, Allegiant lists the airport as Ogdensburg NY/Ottawa ON. Think they are planning to attract the Canadian audience to their cheaper flights?
 
Beautiful photo book! You can really see how much you guys did when you see it all laid out like that. What a great trip.

I've become hopeless with pictures. I take plenty of them :) but I've resorted to just putting them on a private Instagram account as I go and then at the end of the year clicking a button and printing out a basic photo book on Blurb.

I'm fascinated with all of the airport talk. We just book at Newark and that's that. We could shop around if we were willing to go to JFK or LaGuardia but the traffic can make you lose hours if you hit it wrong.

I don't blame you for wanting to skip Toronto, I loathe that airport for some reason. I love the Ottawa airport, it's adorable.
 
I love JetBlue! We could fly out of our small town airport, but there are no direct flights and no JetBlue! We are happy to drive the ~2hours to Richmond to fly direct and Jet Blue. We also always do the Even more space seats. Once you do it, it is hard to not to in the future! I love being at the bulk head and the first off the plane. There is also the boarding early (which is a necessity when we only have carry-ons), and the quicker security (needed in Orlando!). The JetBlue flights we have been on have always been the Ember with the 2 x 2 arrangement. That is a tough call! On non-Jetblue flights, like when we went to Anaheim with delta, I got the window and DH sacrificed himself and took the middle seat both legs of the trip :love2: Love that guy. Will is about 6' though and can fit ok in the middle. Steve could not!! I would chose for yourself which seat makes you feel less queasy. If you need the window to feel better, than it is worth the gamble to possibly have the awkward middle stranger.

I have been on several helicopters...for fun, Hawaii!...for work, training with Flight Paramedics. I think you should ask someone who gets motion/air sick though, how their experience was in a helicopter. There is a lot of motion and sensations you feel on an airplane in a helicopter!
 
I have been rethinking that strategy, though, and am wondering if I’d be better off to book us both on the aisle, one across from the other :scratchin.

I never thought about doing this, it would have made things easier. It's an issue when you have two people that want a window or an aisle. When my friend and I went to DC last year we both had windows on the redeye for sleeping so she was behind me. The puddle jumper from Philly to DC we sat next to each other. The flight home from Philly to Seattle we did window aisle and ended up with the weirdest person I have ever sat next to on a flight. He didn't even wait for me to get up so he could sit down, he started to climb over me. Umm...never had that happen unless I'm too lazy to get up at the movies or a sporting event and even then I squish to the side. Then later in the flight he took his shoes off, and I think his socks, or he just didn't have them on, and he sat indian style in the seat, the middle seat. It was all I could do to move as far into the aisle as possible to avoid his feet. ***.

I'd go for the two aisle's or suffer in the middle seat for a couple of hours.
 
Does Air Ornge count as a helicopter ride? I didn't get to see much laying flat on my back on a stretcher and it was real noisy and vibratey. I didn't get air sick but that might have been cause my blood pressure was 50 over 28
 

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