What's closer than December 2009 ?

[Hedy]

poor Willow.

 

[marivaid]

Thanks for the support everyone... we're still pretty sad about our 'lil Willow but we try to remember that he probably had the best life a cat could dream of...

For the trip, Grumpy & I are scratching our brains. The AP rates came out today and we can't get WL from Jan 1-6. We can get 2-6, Courtyard View instead of Woods, but then I don't know if it's worth buying an AP for, it'd barely be saving us $70 and we don't even know if we would get to reuse the AP that year.

The US Dollar has gone up and we're considering downgrading to a mod, but I'm really no fan of POFQ and CSR only has king bed rooms available.

Urgh, decisions!!!

I'm working 33 hours in the next 3 days so I don't think there'll be much time for thinking...

 

[addicted2dizney]

Thanks for the support everyone... we're still pretty sad about our 'lil Willow but we try to remember that he probably had the best life a cat could dream of...

For the trip, Grumpy & I are scratching our brains. The AP rates came out today and we can't get WL from Jan 1-6. We can get 2-6, Courtyard View instead of Woods, but then I don't know if it's worth buying an AP for, it'd barely be saving us $70 and we don't even know if we would get to reuse the AP that year.

The US Dollar has gone up and we're considering downgrading to a mod, but I'm really no fan of POFQ and CSR only has king bed rooms available.

Urgh, decisions!!!

I'm working 33 hours in the next 3 days so I don't think there'll be much time for thinking...

ok, well hang in there Marina, get through your next few days and we'll be here for you when you need us!

 

[eyor44]

Gosh I never thought about the dollar strength increasing hurting y'all. I've just been so excited about the cheaper gas. Glad you are okay, been checking the threads every couple of days to see if there were any updates to your last TR.

 

[Baloo]

I'm so sorry to hear about your kitty cat. We lost our beautiful calico,Cassie,this past June and still miss her.

 

[marivaid]

I'm so sorry to hear about your kitty cat. We lost our beautiful calico,Cassie,this past June and still miss her.

Marina,
Rainbow Bridge
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

Marina,
I'm so sorry for your loss. Believe me, I know exactly how you feel. My dog, the one that I've had for my ENTIRE life (honestly-I have baby pictures where I'm cuddled next to her as a puppy), passed on this summer. The horrible part about it, though (well, not as horrible as her dying at all), was that we were at Disney World when it happened. It ruined the magic of our vacation and I don't think I'll ever be able to go back without thinking about her. I'm crying just thinking about it. Pets hold such a special place in our hearts, especially when they're there for us when we really need them. The hard part is being able to move on and accept that it happened. But it will happen and you'll be happy once you realized that they lived a great life while they were alive and now they're in a place where they can be happy for all eternity. I truly am sorry for your loss.

Marina,

I have a "Willow" of my own. She is my baby girl & I cannot imagine losing her. She is an indoor kitty & I just love her so much. We had a "spooky" for 17 1/2 years & it was awful when he died but he had a great life with us.

So sorry for the loss of your "Willow". I am an animal lover & it is always so hard to lose a family member.

Oh Marina. I'm so sorry about Willow. When I was a teenager, my cat was hit by a car. I came home from school and found her in the road. First and only time I ever touched anything dead. My mother came out of the house when she heard me screaming and crying as I came up the drive holding her. Now, I am holding Sheba. She's 15 and half and we just realized she's deaf now. She is mainly an outside cat, but I let her in most evenings to sleep on the couch. She doesn't venture far from home these days. I am trying to brace myself for the day she doesn't wake up.
Know that your friends are thinking of you tonight.

So sorry about Willow, remember the happy times with him. You will always carry around wonderful memories of him. That's how I feel about my wonderful dog when she died I know it's very hard. But I will never forget her and her memories will always live on in me.

Hi Marina,

My heart goes out to you. We lost our beloved Geckokitty to kidney failure over Labor Day (first Monday in Sept. in US) after 15 years of loving and companionship. It does get better with time, but he will always be in your heart, and you will be able to remember him and his happy life as time goes by.

Maria (who dreads the day when Worf [now 15] also leaves us...)

I wanted to thank you all for sharing your pet stories with me. Dana, this story was beautiful and I loved it, although it did make me bawl like a baby.

Willow was the third cat we lost, but I never saw Willow dead. It's very different from losing his brother Léo, who fell from something on a construction site, or my older cat Kimi who died of cancer. I feel like Willow's just playing outside like he always was and only very rarely am I reminded that he is in fact gone. It's a very odd feeling.


On another, brighter subject, we are making changes to our trip. With Jessi moving back here and Grumpy having to pay a good part of her rent plus help her with other bills, we had to cut back. We downgraded from WL to CSR, although we couldn't get a room with two beds. I'm hoping maybe they're blocking off some rooms for a convention and they will release them later. If not, we'll just share a king bed. We've shared one for 5 nights at ASMO we can do it for 6 at CSR !
The cost for 6 nights at CSR, plus tickets, plus the dining plan (basic) for the length of our stay is only $200 more than just the 6 nights at WL. We're going to get rid of a couple ADRs too so that we don't have to pay anything out of plan. Pepper Market is a great deal for CS on the dining plan so we'll take advantage of that.

Grumpy has also decided she wants to go to Florida Mall after all, so I'm going to move Narcoosee's to our very last night and we'll go to FM on the 4th. It's just a bit past 7am in the Eastern US now so I'm going to call and fix those ADRs !

 

[eyor44]

How wonderful you still get to go on your trip. A friend stayed at CSR this past January and her family loved it.

 

[Kirby]

Oh, to be planning at trip to the World!

 

[TPCShauna]

I'm so sorry to hear about your Willow. Time truly will help.

WTG on the changes. At least y'all still get to go!

 

[cdhale]

I just spent the better part of the evening reading your trip report from April, and LOVED it. Thank you for reaffirming why I'm going with just my daughters and not my entire family (as was originally planned)!

Can't wait to read more about yout next trip...

 

[starann]

How about with the new buy 4 get 3 free....did that help you any?

 

[marivaid]

I am BEATING MYSELF UP right now for switching to CSR and adding the DDP. Apparently, none of the restaurants at CSR will be accepting the DDP in 2009.
Of course, for once, we bought the DDP.
And I paid our package off yesterday.
To top it off, it doesn't look like a 2-bed room is going to become available anytime soon.

WHY DID I HAVE TO MESS WITH OUR PLANS???

I don't know what to do. My AP is not valid anymore so I can't even check what's available for the 1st to the 6th.

I should have left it alone and stayed at WL.
Or, I should have booked the BC at AP rate when I had the chance.

With the dollar going up and my salary not following we can't really afford to pay rack rate at the BC.
Can we??

 

[ILuvCrush]

I am BEATING MYSELF UP right now for switching to CSR and adding the DDP. Apparently, none of the restaurants at CSR will be accepting the DDP in 2009.
Of course, for once, we bought the DDP.
And I paid our package off yesterday.
To top it off, it doesn't look like a 2-bed room is going to become available anytime soon.

WHY DID I HAVE TO MESS WITH OUR PLANS???

I don't know what to do. My AP is not valid anymore so I can't even check what's available for the 1st to the 6th.

I should have left it alone and stayed at WL.
Or, I should have booked the BC at AP rate when I had the chance.

With the dollar going up and my salary not following we can't really afford to pay rack rate at the BC.
Can we??

Don't worry Marina I made ADRs for Feb... one one Maya Grill. The CM told me that not all the restaraunts have updated their 'participation' status for 2009 DDP yet, and probably won't til December. She said that MG has been on for the last couple years and she expects there's no reason for that to change for '09..... they're just slow!

Paula

 

[marivaid]

Don't worry Marina I made ADRs for Feb... one one Maya Grill. The CM told me that not all the restaraunts have updated their 'participation' status for 2009 DDP yet, and probably won't til December. She said that MG has been on for the last couple years and she expects there's no reason for that to change for '09..... they're just slow!

Paula

I'd read that too but now Buzz (CSR expert!I love his site!) said that there's a possibility that none of the non-Disney owned restaurants will be participating in the DDP. It makes sense because PM must be losing some serious dough with the DDP.

 

[ILuvCrush]

I'd read that too but now Buzz (CSR expert!I love his site!) said that there's a possibility that none of the non-Disney owned restaurants will be participating in the DDP. It makes sense because PM must be losing some serious dough with the DDP.

Hmmmm... I'm glad I don't need to pay for DDP til I check in (I'm staying on points)... I'd hate to pay out of pocket for MG if I'm also paying for DDP!!

I guess we'll just have to wait and see

They may be losing $$... I'm not so sure though. I like the DDP for it's convenience.... but it sure doesn't save me $$!!

Paula

 

[loribell]

Oh Marina that is terrible. Good luck!

 

[TPCShauna]

So sorry to hear that! I hope that MG and PM come around and add themselves back on. Here's some for that.

 

[Schmoodle]

Marivaid, I am subbing and I am so excited to get to go on another trip with you and Grumpy! I enjoyed your other trip reports so much. I hope everything works out allright with your DDP issues.

I am sorry about your sweet kitty. I have lost some of my babies over the years and comfort myself with the fact that they mostly came to me as strays and we were able to give them a good life while they were with us. If they hadn't found us, they likely would have had a short and difficult life.

Can I ask some advice from you? My DH is French. He has an attitude about Disney in general and Disneyland Paris specifically. The kids and I enjoy WDW very much. DH travels for work, so we usually go on our own when he's away, and we do something different for family vacations. That's background info, now getting to the question: Next summer we plan to visit his family and include some time in Paris also. I would love to check out Disneyland Paris. I know he will have a big problem with this. So before I push the issue - what are your thoughts on DLP? If I just wait until our next Orlando trip, am I missing anything? I have to admit, I see his point. Paris is such a beautiful city and there's so much to see. We don't get to France as a family very often. My two youngest have never been. It does seem silly to go to Disney. And yet... I really want to anyway. I know one of the reasons I want to is because it will be at least a couple of years before we get back to Orlando, and we will be so close to DLP! What do you think?

Sorry if I am hijacking your thread!
Can't wait to read about your trip.

 

[ScotsMinnie]

Can I poke my nose in here and give my opinion on DLP? Hope so!!! Sorry!

I would pass it by! I have been on a work conference and I was very disappointed. I was so glad we had not been on a family holiday as it would have been a let down.
To explain...... (and hopefully not cause offence!!)

The french just don't "do" Disney the way the Americans do. I didn't experience the friendly manner that you get in Florida. Everyone felt a little standoffish. You don't get the smiles, the "have a nice day", the.............. happiness! It has some good attractions but nothing that you won't find in Florida.
Disney in the cloud and rain just is not the same as in the sun! Everything looks a little dull in comparison.

I know people have gone and loved it but I have to say that they are mainly people who have never done WDW. Those who I know that have done both would not go back. For us it is very expensive even with it being so close by but in general it is quite costly to go there.

So I would imagine people will have different thoughts and I hope I have not spoken out of turn but it is just the feeling I had when I was there.

I would enjoy what Paris has to offer as it is a beautiful city (v expensive!) and there is lots to see and do. Save your battle when you want him to do WDW with you next time!

 

[Schmoodle]

ScotsMinnie, thanks so much for "sticking your nose in"! I don't mind at all. I appreciate the input. This is just what I was after, but didn't know who to ask except Marivaid, as I had read her trippie and knew she was nearby.

We took the kids out to dinner tonight and we were all talking about our trip. we were discussing how many days we should spend in Paris, and he mentioned that he thought the kids might get bored just doing museums, etc. My DD said "well, we could go to a water park!" so I jumped in and said jokingly "well, there's always Disneyland Paris!" OH MY GOSH! "We are NOT going all the way to FRANCE to see that bleeping mouse! You just saw that bleeping mouse two months ago! That's enough for anybody for a lifetime! If you want to do that we can just skip the trip to France and stay home!, etc. etc."

Okay, he was hungry and that makes him cranky. Bad timing. But I think I'd better leave this one alone! And you say I am not missing too much, so that's good to know. Guess I was just being silly.