Venting - SWA - DVC - Prime - and ?s

ILoveMyDVC

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Aug 24, 2000
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Long time OKW'er. Here to vent; sometimes you need support. A little background: My daughter will not let me see my grandchildren anymore. No, really, nobody (friends, relatives, her brother, father, aunt) knows why. Growing up since kindergarten, she had a BFF. She is 31. Whenever I entertained (cooking for 3 days), I would hire her for party prep - especially when she had an unplanned child and especially at Christmas to put more money in her pocket. She was also diagnosed with MS in her mid 20s. I love her; she calls me every Mother's Day; and allows me to be a part of her and her son's life. The child is now 8 and a Star Wars Junkie like his mom. We also had sibling dogs twice now from two different breeders. She's a fabulous mom.

Last night, I received an email from SWA for PRIME Day fares. I already have a 2 bed booked for 12 days in August. The rates were a steal (and, yes, I know they are subject to change; it was 1:00 a.m.). I shot off a text inviting her, the child and the child's dad. I will need to buy her tickets for the parks, groceries, airfare, whatever. I am totally cool with that. I used to take her to WDW with my DD when they were 10 >18. She is a delight.

What was not so cool? SWA fares were more than double (full day flight schedule still open in all categories) early this morning when she said she wanted to go. I am very fortunate that I travel for business and have earned all the points needed to cover this. BUT boy am I aggravated with SWA!

Also, she is worried about expenses while there. I reminded her that my children's grandparents used to give them Disney $$ for their birthdays. Both the child and mom have birthdays in the next few weeks. Her parents do well enough (divorced and remarried) but don't seem to support her.

Her brother is active duty - I cannot recall if the member has to be there. I bought my daughter's tickets through the military when she and her husband came in 2018; I needed her ID to order them from Shades of Green. Any insights before I do a deep dive? I am paying regardless of where we ge them.

As I am newly divorced and recently moved, I do not have the same level of funds available that I did previously. Any suggestions on cutting down food expenses? I will do a large shopping but don't usually cook in the villa. Wondering about LL. It has been more and more pricey...and now it will be x 5. He HAS to go on all things Star Wars. Any leaks on pricing levels?

I know I will just end up taking them wherever and how do you resist buying the bubble wand...I can't. I so wish I could be sharing all of these memories with my grandchildren, too. That's it. Thank you for listening.
 
Sorry to hear the flights moved so fast. I noticed today that AA, UA, and SW all had some amazing prices for the rest of 2024. I re-fared some southwest flights to get the refund if miles when I woke up at around 430am. I checked again around 7am and they also had almost doubled. I think SW, like most airlines, only has so many seats at $xxx price. When those are gone they go to the next price. I could see the lower fares you saw last night grabbed by other people....so by the time you looked today...the cheap ones were gone.

While this won't help you this time, SW and almost all other US carries have to give you a full refund to the credit card if cancelled within 24h. So next time you see an amazing deal like the one last night.... you're better to book it right then and there. And then worst case if your family came back and said they couldn't go....you could then just cancel those tickets and get a full refund.

I'd keep watching. Those SW farws were all over the place today so maybe they'll come back to better levels.
 
Flights are very expense during peak as you already know so there are a lot of stalkers out there and who can blame them. We paid more than we ever did and are ending up in Tampa. This makes sense for us my wife gets an amazing discount on rental cars so less than uber or shuttle from MCO from an unmentioned company that should be giving and amazing discount on flights which we get none.
I can answer the bubble wands. My brother in law, who is not coming this year as we may cross paths we are going in August as well, will flip out with kids with bubble wands he hates bubbles, lines he cannot wait on them without whining, and my son was on the sky liner with him (no others in car at that time) he flipped at that, to hot, he took a bus from RIV to HS. So you have this going for you.....if it helps.
 
Flights are very expense during peak as you already know so there are a lot of stalkers out there and who can blame them. We paid more than we ever did and are ending up in Tampa. This makes sense for us my wife gets an amazing discount on rental cars so less than uber or shuttle from MCO from an unmentioned company that should be giving and amazing discount on flights which we get none.
I can answer the bubble wands. My brother in law, who is not coming this year as we may cross paths we are going in August as well, will flip out with kids with bubble wands he hates bubbles, lines he cannot wait on them without whining, and my son was on the sky liner with him (no others in car at that time) he flipped at that, to hot, he took a bus from RIV to HS. So you have this going for you.....if it helps.
I want him to have the bubble wand but he might just be too old for it. Thank you for sharing. I fly multiple times a month (as many as 6 flights a week at times). I did not expect the price change in the 6 hours on the still going Prime Day celebration. To be fair, now that I live in Tampa, I don't check MCO fares any more. I drive for hours and hours and hours to traverse the 83.1 miles to WDW. MCO was my favorite airport because it = vacation. I love TPA overall but not the SWA routes - too many with 1 or 2 connections to go...anywhere.
 

Sorry to hear the flights moved so fast. I noticed today that AA, UA, and SW all had some amazing prices for the rest of 2024. I re-fared some southwest flights to get the refund if miles when I woke up at around 430am. I checked again around 7am and they also had almost doubled. I think SW, like most airlines, only has so many seats at $xxx price. When those are gone they go to the next price. I could see the lower fares you saw last night grabbed by other people....so by the time you looked today...the cheap ones were gone.

While this won't help you this time, SW and almost all other US carries have to give you a full refund to the credit card if cancelled within 24h. So next time you see an amazing deal like the one last night.... you're better to book it right then and there. And then worst case if your family came back and said they couldn't go....you could then just cancel those tickets and get a full refund.

I'd keep watching. Those SW farws were all over the place today so maybe they'll come back to better levels.
I was using points, I TOTALLY should have just booked it. What I didn't have was the middle names and birthdays for all of the passengers.
 
I feel your pain. I plan 100% of all my own and all my family's travel. I'm good at it and like to do it so everyone defers to me. There's been many times when there's a great deal and I had to wait for the go ahead....only to have it be to late.

I would set up Google flight alerts for both TPA and MCO and hopefully the fares go your way. Google flights might be the #1 travel tool for any cost conscious traveler.
 
I feel your pain. I plan 100% of all my own and all my family's travel. I'm good at it and like to do it so everyone defers to me. There's been many times when there's a great deal and I had to wait for the go ahead....only to have it be to late.

I would set up Google flight alerts for both TPA and MCO and hopefully the fares go your way. Google flights might be the #1 travel tool for any cost conscious traveler.
I was surprised to see the fights go up two more times again on "Prime" day but none were sold out for the day in any category.
 
Keep checking the points price on those flights. I started out at 135k points(for 3 of us) when I booked our August flights back in Feb. I'm down to 42k total now. SW's points cost is all over the place...even changes throughout the day. I hope you guys have a great trip!
 
Keep checking the points price on those flights. I started out at 135k points(for 3 of us) when I booked our August flights back in Feb. I'm down to 42k total now. SW's points cost is all over the place...even changes throughout the day. I hope you guys have a great trip!
Thank you. I talked with her for over an hour last night. The child's father saw the message (inviting them) first and was so excited, he woke her up to look at her messages. The plan is to tell the child he is visiting her old friend (me) in Florida and he will be going on his first plane flight. They will tell him at MCO that I "live" at Disney - I plan to have magic bands for them - I know she doesn't know about them because my daughter hadn't seen them until she came in 2018. DD's prior last trip was with this friend; before the days of MBs.
Loving that the child's dad is already excited. It's her second airplane ride ever. Guessing it is the dad's and know it is the child's first.
I have a list of favorite groceries - I do that for every guest that visits. I have park reservations for my AP. Have the alarm set for 6:55 a.m. on the 25th.
 
Loving that the child's dad is already excited. It's her second airplane ride ever. Guessing it is the dad's and know it is the child's first.
I have a list of favorite groceries - I do that for every guest that visits. I have park reservations for my AP. Have the alarm set for 6:55 a.m. on the 25th.
Good job being persistent and finding a way. Sounds like things will work out and it will be a memorable trip
 
Here! Bumped the reservation a day early. Grocery shopping x 3 visits is done!

Need 2 more MBs. OKW General store didn't have anything suitable for 2/3 guests.
In one of 2 favorite buildings. 45! 2 bed.

First time in 30+ years, I asked Bell Services to assist (other than Owners Lockers) with carrying things to room. I had two totes, luggage and a million grocery bags.

The child found out this weekend at his birthday party. The Dad and the child have never been. Sooooooo excited.

Hoping we don't have another weekend of mass closures and the forming TD is taken out by the dust.
 



















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