When you wish upon a star...a very HAPPENING PTR SEP 13

[areweindisneyyet]

Ok. For those ofyou who followed my last trip report with a very flimsy excuse for Disney you will understand that I took DH to Munich for his special 0'birthday. Now in fairness this should be reciprocated. Now March 2014 is coming and therefore I must start plotting

Two weeks away 10 days NY with a maybe a night in Washington and then a few nights at Aulani on the way home trying out Hawaiian Airlines. Fares seem reasonable for that time of the year. We can meet at the top of the Empire State Building.

Hurdles. Both kids have expensive school trips in that year and DH needs a shed before we do another overseas trip and a pool for the kids. Anything is possible when you wish upon a star ... Isn't it.

Worse case a 2015 trip for all the family including Hawaii, New York and WDW.

 

[WAMUMOF4]

sounds like a great trip

 

[Caroline NZ]

I'm wishing for you

 

[WanderlustNZ]

When you say 'reciprocated' does that mean you would like your DH to plan the trip or just agree to it? Or, alternatively, does it mean that you want to drop hints until you DH suggests a holiday, thinking it was his idea?

I would be the happiest woman alive if my DH came home one day and said "I was thinking, for your next birthday, we should go on a trip to..." Unfortunately, I think pigs will fly before that happens.

Wishing you lots of pixie dust that you get the trip you're dreaming of.

 

[battymum]

Don't get a pool, seriously, my kids never use ours, drives me nuts. It's like a big hole in the ground that we keep throwing money at.

We live in western sydney, so get some pretty hot days, unfortunately we also have great air con. !

 

[becpee]

I'm wishing for you!!

Sounds like a great trip

 

[areweindisneyyet]

When you say 'reciprocated' does that mean you would like your DH to plan the trip or just agree to it? Or, alternatively, does it mean that you want to drop hints until you DH suggests a holiday, thinking it was his idea?

I would be the happiest woman alive if my DH came home one day and said "I was thinking, for your next birthday, we should go on a trip to..." Unfortunately, I think pigs will fly before that happens.

Wishing you lots of pixie dust that you get the trip you're dreaming of.

I mentioned the other day Hawaii or New York and he ignored me. A couple of hours later got a txt. New York. That's as good as it gets for him. I am the planner. He smiles and nods his head. Just need to do some things on the home front too. We have just had three overseas trips in 18 mths.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Oooh! I do love me a nought-y birthday plan!

Sounds like great plans are afoot. Lead on McDuff.

 

[Andona]

Don't get a pool, seriously, my kids never use ours, drives me nuts. It's like a big hole in the ground that we keep throwing money at.

We live in western sydney, so get some pretty hot days, unfortunately we also have great air con. !

I totally agree. We put in a pool after a several trips to Qld when the whole family enjoyed swimming. It was a novelty for a couple of years but once the kids were teenagers they lost interest completely. The damn thing costs a fortune ( they chew up heaps of electricity) and in chemicals and repairs. Only Dh and I ever use it now and that's probably only a few times a year.


Andona

 

[Aussie Wendy]

We had a pool which admittedly got reasonable use especially during the upper primary school years (and a bit in early teens) then ziltch apart from me doing laps at half hearted attempts to get fit occasionally and the occasional Xmas family gathering. Cost a bomb in electricity and as it got older replacement pump/chlorinator etc. Didn't need a lot of maintenance though with a salt chlorinator which I'd recommend. Friends likewise have similar experiences. When we moved we chose not to put a pool in and seriously don't miss it. If your kids are already late primary school I'd think twice unless you think as a family you will spend a lot of time out there-I was surprised at how quickly, how little time over each year we actually used it and we live in Qld.

 

[areweindisneyyet]

Don't get a pool, seriously, my kids never use ours, drives me nuts. It's like a big hole in the ground that we keep throwing money at.

We live in western sydney, so get some pretty hot days, unfortunately we also have great air con. !

I totally agree. We put in a pool after a several trips to Qld when the whole family enjoyed swimming. It was a novelty for a couple of years but once the kids were teenagers they lost interest completely. The damn thing costs a fortune ( they chew up heaps of electricity) and in chemicals and repairs. Only Dh and I ever use it now and that's probably only a few times a year.


Andona

We had a pool which admittedly got reasonable use especially during the upper primary school years (and a bit in early teens) then ziltch apart from me doing laps at half hearted attempts to get fit occasionally and the occasional Xmas family gathering. Cost a bomb in electricity and as it got older replacement pump/chlorinator etc. Didn't need a lot of maintenance though with a salt chlorinator which I'd recommend. Friends likewise have similar experiences. When we moved we chose not to put a pool in and seriously don't miss it. If your kids are already late primary school I'd think twice unless you think as a family you will spend a lot of time out there-I was surprised at how quickly, how little time over each year we actually used it and we live in Qld.

Thanks for the feedback. We have been tossing this around ourselves. How would the money be better spent. The girls are Grade 9 and 6 this year so we do wonder how long the novelty will last. Our only swimming options our our local pool which is quite nice as far as they go. We could buy DVC, add our shed and finish of our outdoor space for the cost. Oh the possibilities.

 

[areweindisneyyet]

I'm wishing for you!!

Sounds like a great trip

Oooh! I do love me a nought-y birthday plan!

Sounds like great plans are afoot. Lead on McDuff.

Thanks guys I think it sounds pretty good too. I'll be looking for a bargain fare.

I do love a nought-y plan

 

[zanzibar138]

We could buy DVC, add our shed and finish of our outdoor space for the cost. Oh the possibilities.

I would definitely do this instead! And this is speaking from the kid's perspective I was 11 when we got a pool. It got quite a bit of use that first summer, and the next couple of summers it got used a bit too. After that it tapered off dramatically. And I grew up in Perth, so long hot summers every year. Even being a kid I was aware of how much work and expense it was for my parents to maintain. At the time it was either pool or air-conditioning - can't help thinking they would have been better off with air-conditioning.

Anyway, I love your possible trip! You definitely need a few nights at Aulani on the way back to get your Disney fix. Sending much pixie dust your way

 

[areweindisneyyet]

I would definitely do this instead! And this is speaking from the kid's perspective I was 11 when we got a pool. It got quite a bit of use that first summer, and the next couple of summers it got used a bit too. After that it tapered off dramatically. And I grew up in Perth, so long hot summers every year. Even being a kid I was aware of how much work and expense it was for my parents to maintain. At the time it was either pool or air-conditioning - can't help thinking they would have been better off with air-conditioning.

Anyway, I love your possible trip! You definitely need a few nights at Aulani on the way back to get your Disney fix. Sending much pixie dust your way

Oh I do love Aulani.

 

[areweindisneyyet]

So, I have been trying lots of versions, and playing with schedules. So here is where I am at. I was feeling guilty about another trip without the kids and I really want to go to WDW. I had paid a deposit on a room at POFQ for Jan 2014 as these dates worked for me and the girls. Not DH, very hard to get leave at that time of the year. DH gets that I need to go on a holiday but he wants some things at the house, so new entertainment area and I get a trip with a budget. I can deal with that.

Have been thinking of Sept this year but the girls will need to miss 10 days of school and the trip would be six mths before my birthday. So

We will now go in Early April 2014 for three weeks leaving about three weeks after my birthday and come home a few days before our 15th wedding anniversary. The girls will miss 3 school days for three weeks away and us 12 work days. Win win win

The travelers
DH (41) at time of trip. DL twice, DLP and Aulani and is a convert. Gets it now and as long as there are non Disney trips as well he is happy to indulge.

Me (40) at the time of the trip JUST. Two extra DL trips than DH and always planning a holiday somewhere

DD1 (14) at time of the trip. She isn't too bad for a teenager so far an love thrill rides. Has no fear. Love Disney theme parks. Same Disney experience as her dad and sister. Has read all of Harry Potter.

DD2 (12) at the time of the trip. Is amazing as long as things are going according to her plan. Very like Tinkerbell in nature. Can't wait to go to the water parks. Almost Harry Potter and wants to be an astronomer.

So on the list is
San Francisco (only I have visited and I love it but have not been since 1990)
New York
Washington DC
WDW
Harry Potter and NASA

Everywhere is new except San Fran for me. Will visit cities in the listed order or vice versa, just working out whether to be in WDW early April which will clash with Spring Break or at the end for 2 days before Easter until the weekend after. We have done Disneyland at Christmas so as long as we have a plan we don't mind the crowds too much.

Will check out a baseball game along the way.

So I will need to change our Accomm dates to Apr when I figure out for sure when we arrive. We might need to look at Air New Zealand or Virgin to San Francisco. Have frequent flyer points for internal flights. Our in and out dates are pretty much set due to work and school commitments but in between is still very flexible.

Whilst I have a really good idea of what I want to see and do, the net few months will be spent researching and revisiting trip reports for those things I wish I had jotted down. By May I would like to have the order of travel sorted so I can book internal flights with points.

 

[WAMUMOF4]

a plan is in place

 

[Minniemum]

Yay! A trip in the making!

 

[areweindisneyyet]

a plan is in place

Yay! A trip in the making!

Thanks guys, yes let the planning begin.

 

[zanzibar138]

Yay! Glad things are coming together for you

 

[wiigirl]

yay!