We love rack rate! Aug 1-17 More NEW pics 9/1!

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Mom's port insertion went fine, and they called and said her MUGA scan was normal. If her bloodwork is normal tomorrow morning she will have her first chemo infusion at 10 AM.

I am trying to decide how to divide up the rest of the money for the trip. I am going to load some on a Disney gift card and do some in travelers checks. I figure if we come home with money (like THAT would really happen! ) I can put the travelers checks back in the bank, but the money on a gift card is stuck there.

I need to call our pet sitter in the next few days and just confirm everything with her. It might be wise to give an extra house key to a friend of ours, too, just in case there is some emergency while we are gone and the pet sitter isn't able to get to the house. It would be a huge bummer to have to cut the trip short because the cats were starving. Actually, I could phone our leasing office and authorize them to let my friend in, but it might be easier to just give her a key.

There is probably something else I am overlooking. Not sure what it might be, though.

 

[snappy]

I do travelers checks that I can obtain for free at our bank.

It is very simple to cash these at either the resort or any guest relations at the parks.

I have done this numerous times and the CM's are very gracious about it. Never a problem.

I also use my reward points card from my Disney visa or my resort card. I am using as actual credit card less and less at WDW. Seems more risky.

Glad mom is doing well.

What do you do about mail and newspaper delivery?

I assume you are bringing a laptop? Will we get on location trip live trip reports?

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I do travelers checks that I can obtain for free at our bank.

It is very simple to cash these at either the resort or any guest relations at the parks.

I have done this numerous times and the CM's are very gracious about it. Never a problem.

I also use my reward points card from my Disney visa or my resort card. I am using as actual credit card less and less at WDW. Seems more risky.

Glad mom is doing well.

What do you do about mail and newspaper delivery?

I assume you are bringing a laptop? Will we get on location trip live trip reports?

Our bank has them for free as well.
Our rewards dollars won't go very far - we only have $83!
We charge EVERYTHING to the room, then I go review the bill every other day or so and pay off all of the charges before they roll to the credit card on file. I don't like to use a credit card all around the property because there is so much risk of someone stealing the number.

Our pet sitter will take care of the cats, the mail, and the plants.

I am bringing my laptop and I do plan on live reports! I am not quite sure what board the reports will be on, but we will have them!

 

[snappy]

Our bank has them for free as well.
Our rewards dollars won't go very far - we only have $83!
We charge EVERYTHING to the room, then I go review the bill every other day or so and pay off all of the charges before they roll to the credit card on file. I don't like to use a credit card all around the property because there is so much risk of someone stealing the number.

Our pet sitter will take care of the cats, the mail, and the plants.

I am bringing my laptop and I do plan on live reports! I am not quite sure what board the reports will be on, but we will have them!

Uh oh, let me know where to look

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Uh oh, let me know where to look

Well, there is a "Live Reports" section on Resorts, and there is DVC, and there is this board...
No matter where the trip report ends up, I will put a link in my signature and post on the GAGWTA thread so you can find it! I bet Linda will want to see DH's photos, too!

 

[snappy]

Well, there is a "Live Reports" section on Resorts, and there is DVC, and there is this board...
No matter where the trip report ends up, I will put a link in my signature and post on the GAGWTA thread so you can find it! I bet Linda will want to see DH's photos, too!

Thanks. I forgot how you put this link in your posts on the GAGWTA thread.
You are swift.

 

[shannon47142]

Hi
I just read through your report and totally feel connected with you! We(daughter, parens, aunt&uncle, stepgrangmother and a set of friends) planned our trip from August 2007 for this August first . We were all excited, staying at WL on the deluxe dining plan and then wham my mom gets told her ulcer is stomach cancer and lymphoma!!!
She has progressed nicely and her last chemo scheduled before radiation is Aug. 4--so no Disney for my parents! I went back and forth about canceling the trip so I know how you feel! She convinced me to still go but its a bit bittersweet!!! Good thoughts for your mom and I hope you are able to still enjoy your trip!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Hi
I just read through your report and totally feel connected with you! We(daughter, parens, aunt&uncle, stepgrangmother and a set of friends) planned our trip from August 2007 for this August first . We were all excited, staying at WL on the deluxe dining plan and then wham my mom gets told her ulcer is stomach cancer and lymphoma!!!
She has progressed nicely and her last chemo scheduled before radiation is Aug. 4--so no Disney for my parents! I went back and forth about canceling the trip so I know how you feel! She convinced me to still go but its a bit bittersweet!!! Good thoughts for your mom and I hope you are able to still enjoy your trip!

Many good wishes for your mom!! I hope her last rounds of chemo are uneventful and that she gets through radiation without any complications! It is hard, isn't it? When are you leaving for WDW?

On the one hand I hate to go to WDW with Mom in chemo, on the other hand DH has been waiting for more than 8 months to take a vacation and he is really looking forward to our trip. He lost his mom 17 years ago so he is sympathetic to a degree, but he is also better at separating my mom's treatment from our vacation. He knows if there is an emergency that he will stay at WDW with DS and I will go to Kansas City and do whatever I need to do. We'll deal with it if it happens.

 

[tink2020]

Elizabeth! I'm finally able to read this, after subscribing weeks ago!

You have a great start here, and I can't wait to read your live report. I was literally laughing out loud, reading your planning timeline all at once. Following along in real time the last few months has been one thing, but to see it all laid out like that was hysterical! I also enjoyed your Shoe Bag description, and ADR dilemmas reprinted in one place. I agree with Theresa, it's almost easier to follow!

And here is where the dSLR slope gets very slippery. DH won yet another contest at work, and this time he walked away with a Sony dSLR. DH is SURE that the photo of his dreams is just waiting for him, and he will unleash it by acquiring every expensive camera accessory under the sun. But since we can't be certain WHICH camera will yield the PERFECT PHOTO we must buy accessories for BOTH cameras! We have purchased lenses on eBay, an external flash from Best Buy, and most recently a lens from WalMart that he TRIED to hide from me. But they sent the confirmation e-mail to ME and that pretty much blew it for DH's clandestine purchase. We have subscribed to a photo magazine and purchased multiple books on digital cameras and photography.

He came to me the other day and said he now requires yet ANOTHER bag, because the bag he already bought is too small. And he needs a tripod. And some editing software. Because the PERFECT PHOTO continues to elude him.

We are 7 weeks from departure. I am growing tired of the money pit known as the dSLR camera. Those sweet folks on the Photo forum mean well, I am sure, but they are feeding DH's frenzy for the PERFECT PHOTO. I don't know how much more stuff DH is going to buy before we leave. I am also not sure if anything he buys will compensate for his lack of experience with dSLR cameras. He practices with them sometimes, but there is an awful lot to learn! I am really afraid he will get frustrated and lose interest in it, and a HUGE pile of camera equipment will join a certain metal detector in our storage unit. Time will tell.

Having said all that, there will be LOTS of photos from this upcoming trip. LOTS. Photos of people, places, things, food, etc. Lots and lots of photos.

*sigh* This is why I won't let myself start......

 

[shannon47142]

We leav eon the first of August and we also have back up plans!!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Elizabeth! I'm finally able to read this, after subscribing weeks ago!

You have a great start here, and I can't wait to read your live report. I was literally laughing out loud, reading your planning timeline all at once. Following along in real time the last few months has been one thing, but to see it all laid out like that was hysterical! I also enjoyed your Shoe Bag description, and ADR dilemmas reprinted in one place. I agree with Theresa, it's almost easier to follow!



*sigh* This is why I won't let myself start......

Hi, Jennifer! Thanks for reading!
I will put you on the wait list of people who want to buy DH's dSLR cameras when he loses interest!

We leave on the first of August and we also have back up plans!!

Maybe we will see you guys! Which resort will you be staying at?

 

[tink2020]

Hi, Jennifer! Thanks for reading!
I will put you on the wait list of people who want to buy DH's dSLR cameras when he loses interest!

Perfect

 

[shannon47142]

We are staying at Wilderness Lodge for the first time. How about you guys?

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

We are staying at Wilderness Lodge for the first time. How about you guys?

We're at AKL 8/1 - 8/3, SSR 8/4 - 8/11, Poly 8/12 - 8/13, and AKV 8/13 - 8/17.

We stayed at WL last summer. It was nice!

 

[shannon47142]

You guys are going to have a blast at those great resorts!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

You guys are going to have a blast at those great resorts!

We'll see! We love AKL, which is why we bought in at AKV. We booked the SSR nights because they had availability with points, and we got a good AP rate at the Poly. I think dragging all the stuff from resort to resort will get old.

I just called my mom to check on her. She is finished with her infusion and she was on her way home. So far, so good. They told her she will probably feel OK until tomorrow or Saturday. She was at the oncology clinic for over 3 hours, so I think she is realizing she will not be going to work on her chemo days. Of course by the time she goes back to work she will only have 2 A/C infusions left, then she will start on Taxol.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

2 weeks! 2 weeks! We are leaving in two weeks!

Of course it will feel like 2 years before it actually gets here.

The Disney nightmares have already started. I had one last week about the hotel, and I had one last night about forgetting to bring the trading pins.

I don't think I have mentioned the trading pins in this report. All 3 of us are BIG into pin trading. DS is fond of snatching up pins he knows DH wants, then he holds them hostage and makes DH give him like 5 pins in trade. That actually gets old, because the 2 of them will bicker back and forth over a pin for MONTHS after we get home. We each have a personalized pin bag for our collections, we watch the Disney pin site for new releases, it is a rather ugly addiction.

We each have a bag of traders that I have been adding to since our last trip. Almost all of the pins are from Disney Shopping or the Disney Store because I have HAD IT with eBay. Too many counterfeits! Last August I think we averaged about 20 pins per day (each). Well, I don't have 960 pins to trade so we'll have to scale back on the trading this time. I think we each have about 170 pins to trade, so that averages 10 pins per day. Forgetting to pack them would be a huge problem!

I am looking forward to getting new pins for our collections! I usually buy a few special pins (Passholder, limited editions that are released during our trips, other neat ones that I REALLY want) but for the most part we just trade. I can't wait to buy my very fist DVC pin!

 

[tinknme]

I have not bought the boys any new trader pins. When we went in Dec. they did not do a lot of trading. Guess I need to ask them if they are still interested in this & if they are I need to quickly buy some more pins!

Sounds like you all have plenty Elizabeth

 

[snappy]

We are certainly not the traders you guys are, but I could NOT wait to get my mitts on my Boardwalk villas pin.

It lives in my jewelry box with my "good stuff."

Glad mom sounded good yesterday. Three hours does sound like an ordeal.. Hopefully, it is just the initial round that takes that long?

On trading, do you mostly trade with CM's or other guests?

I always seem to be giving one away to cute little kids.

I don't think I am a very good pin trader but I love the concept.

Last year DD received sets of two pins a couple of times (YOMD), one of which was for giving to another guest. She was in heaven over that.

I guess she will follow in my footsteps as far as trading pins go.

 

[shannon47142]

Good news about your mom! The first times are always a little scary. Good thoughts for her through the weekend