You Only Turn 40 Once - A Pre-trip Report

[dolphingirl47]

The temple is beautiful! Glad you are going to be able to see it!

Jill in CO

So am I. Initially I was not too excited about venturing out from Aulani, but the more I read about it, the more excited I get.

Boy was I behind! The T-shirts all look great and I think the Temple is a great addition to the itinerary. I think I read about others who have visited there as well.

Very glad the Chinese water torture has ended.
Its coming up really soon now!

Yes, it is doing my health a lot of good to finally get to sleep a night through again. The constant dripping kept waking me up and I functioned on two to three hours sleep per night.

I am so glad that I discovered the temple in time. I would have been so annoyed if I had found out after the trip.

We took the boys to Waimea Falls Park in '02, and I'm pretty sure we didn't have boots. Probably just sneakers or surf shoes as we rented kayaks there. My son was grumpy because I wouldn't let him swim in the falls as they were handing out notices about bacteria in the water and he was only a few months out of treatment at the time.

BTW, I wanted to mention that if you have a Costco membership, they have the cheapest gasoline on the island. They also have other items at reasonable prices, such as Kona blend coffee, pineapples, flavored tea gift packs (pineapple, macadamia nut, etc.), and other gift items. We even got our Christmas cards there last year! And they had macadamia nut Hershey kisses, which are only available in Hawaii.

That sounds promising. I have to do some more research. I would love to do this if I don't need hiking boots.

Thanks for the tip about Costco. We do not have a membership, but we can get discounted memberships through work. I think I have to check this out to see if this makes sense.

Corinna

 

[dolphingirl47]

In two weeks I should be just about getting on my flight from Philadelphia to Los Angeles so it is time for another pit stop.

Book a Walk in Walt's Footsteps Tour - done
Book Holiday Tour - can be done on 28th October
Make some more t-shirts - done
Print off all documents (most documents are printed, should be able to finish 3rd November)
Do online check in for Aulani - can be done on 3rd November
Do online check in for International flights - can be done on 9th November
Book car service from work to airport hotel - done
Ordered pre-paid Dollar Mastercard - done

 

[Pinkocto]

That temple is gorgeous, wonderful that your guide book has been so helpful!


Your to do list looks almost complete

 

[dolphingirl47]

That temple is gorgeous, wonderful that your guide book has been so helpful!


Your to do list looks almost complete

I am making good progress. I will call for the Holiday Tour tonight after work and the rest should pretty much just fall into place.

I was glad to find a really good guidebook. I am normally not too impressed with guidebooks, but this is a great mixture of background information, ideas what to do, photos and maps.

Corinna

 

[Pinkocto]

I am making good progress. I will call for the Holiday Tour tonight after work and the rest should pretty much just fall into place.

I was glad to find a really good guidebook. I am normally not too impressed with guidebooks, but this is a great mixture of background information, ideas what to do, photos and maps.

Corinna

Which one was it? I'm thinking I need to get one too.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Good list! For the pre paid master card how long do you need to allow for them to arrive for future reference.

 

[franandaj]

Sounds like you're getting your act together! I am scrambling here to get things all finished. I don't know what I would do if I had a job that I had to go to!

 

[dolphingirl47]

Which one was it? I'm thinking I need to get one too.

It is called Oahu Revealed and I am thoroughly enjoying it. I would definitely recommend it.

Good list! For the pre paid master card how long do you need to allow for them to arrive for future reference.

They say to allow up to 10 working days. I ordered mine late Thursday afternoon and my card arrived today.

Sounds like you're getting your act together! I am scrambling here to get things all finished. I don't know what I would do if I had a job that I had to go to!

It is definitely a challenge juggling the trip planning and the job at the moment. October and into early November is my busiest time at work anyway and this year it is even more so.

Corinna

 

[dolphingirl47]

I got the last big item for this trip ticked off my to do list today. I got the Holiday tour booked for November 26th. I had always planned to book the earlier tour, but recently had been second-guessing this and wondered if I would prefer watching the parade all lit up. I decided to stick with what I had planned all along. When I rang earlier, she initially tried to offer me the 2:55 tour. My heart just sank. Fortunately she did have a space on the noon tour.

Corinna

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Sounds exciting re the Holiday tour I must look that up! Well done for just snagging the noon spot. Those prepaid MasterCards sound a good option we have had a lot of issue with unwanted transactions on our cards on our return. The security doesn't seem as tight with CC in the US as at home. We are all chip and pin here aren't we. Several places did not have machines so we paid by cash. I want letting my CC out my sight this time! Those skimmers...

 

[franandaj]

Im sorry about the credit card hacking over here. Fran buys Disney gift cards everywhere and we use those to pay for most everything. It works out rather well!

 

[franandaj]

Not sure what the Hokiday tour is, but I'm glad you got t booked at the time you wanted!

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Im sorry about the credit card hacking over here. Fran buys Disney gift cards everywhere and we use those to pay for most everything. It works out rather well!

that is a good idea re the gift cards we also had a lot of card hacking before the introduction of chip and pin. It's not that there is more criminals in the US just more opportunity I think.

 

[Pinkocto]

I got the last big item for this trip ticked off my to do list today. I got the Holiday tour booked for November 26th. I had always planned to book the earlier tour, but recently had been second-guessing this and wondered if I would prefer watching the parade all lit up. I decided to stick with what I had planned all along. When I rang earlier, she initially tried to offer me the 2:55 tour. My heart just sank. Fortunately she did have a space on the noon tour.

Corinna

Everything is coming together nicely

It is called Oahu Revealed and I am thoroughly enjoying it. I would definitely recommend it.

Corinna

Thank you so much, I'll be looking into this.

 

[Pinkocto]

Sounds exciting re the Holiday tour I must look that up! Well done for just snagging the noon spot. Those prepaid MasterCards sound a good option we have had a lot of issue with unwanted transactions on our cards on our return. The security doesn't seem as tight with CC in the US as at home. We are all chip and pin here aren't we. Several places did not have machines so we paid by cash. I want letting my CC out my sight this time! Those skimmers...

How terrible!

 

[PrincessInOz]

DH's CC got skimmed in the 2011 trip and the banks picked it up. We had to get new cards and it was a pain because we had some automatic payments linked to the CC. Since then, we've been really wary about using the CC when travelling.

These days, we rely more on the prepaid Travel Cards. I assume that this is a similar concept to your prepaid Mastercards? The one that our bank offers allows us to load up to 5 different currencies on it. We can transfer money when the exchange rate is favourable into the card.
When we land at the other end, we can use it as a debit card.

We like it as it means we don't have to worry about what the exchange rate is, we have the cash in reserve and we can withdraw cash at all of the ATMs in the US.

We still have to watch the Travel Card like a hawk but at least it means that we reduce the risk of our CC being skimmed if we use the Travel Card more.

 

[dolphingirl47]

Sounds exciting re the Holiday tour I must look that up! Well done for just snagging the noon spot. Those prepaid MasterCards sound a good option we have had a lot of issue with unwanted transactions on our cards on our return. The security doesn't seem as tight with CC in the US as at home. We are all chip and pin here aren't we. Several places did not have machines so we paid by cash. I want letting my CC out my sight this time! Those skimmers...

There will be an instalment about the Holiday tour soon. I had to go to the bank on Tuesday asking for a new debit card as the signature strip has worn off. The chip is getting temperamental, too. They could not believe that they do not use Chip and Pin in the USA. I have used my card in Mexico and Colombia and they have Chip and Pin. I keep reading stories about people having unwanted transactions on their cards after a USA visit. The only time we had an unwanted transaction was a genuine mistake and was put right in double quick time. We used our reward points at a Holiday Inn and then had a mystery charge on our card. I queried this and it turned out that this charge should have gone to IHG corporate and was accidentally charged to our card. I got a nice apology email from the manager.

Not sure what the Hokiday tour is, but I'm glad you got t booked at the time you wanted!

It is almost a mini VIP tour including priority access to the three Holiday themed attractions at Disneyland, some treats, a walking tour pointing out various features of the Holiday season and VIP seating for the Holiday parade.

Everything is coming together nicely



Thank you so much, I'll be looking into this.

Yes, it is. I got my book from Amazon.

DH's CC got skimmed in the 2011 trip and the banks picked it up. We had to get new cards and it was a pain because we had some automatic payments linked to the CC. Since then, we've been really wary about using the CC when travelling.

These days, we rely more on the prepaid Travel Cards. I assume that this is a similar concept to your prepaid Mastercards? The one that our bank offers allows us to load up to 5 different currencies on it. We can transfer money when the exchange rate is favourable into the card.
When we land at the other end, we can use it as a debit card.

We like it as it means we don't have to worry about what the exchange rate is, we have the cash in reserve and we can withdraw cash at all of the ATMs in the US.

We still have to watch the Travel Card like a hawk but at least it means that we reduce the risk of our CC being skimmed if we use the Travel Card more.

The company I go with has three card options: a Dollar card, an Euro card and a use anywhere card that gets loaded with Pounds. I like being able to budget for bigger expenses on the trip and add money when the rates are good. It is also easier to check balance and transaction for this card on my iPad then checking my bank account.

Corinna

 

[dolphingirl47]

This seems to be the day that just stubbornly refuses to fall into place or rather I think everything has fallen into place and then I come across something else that I absolutely have to include. I think there are going to be a few stunning photos from that day.

I had initially discarded Waimea Falls Park as everything I read referred to a hike of three quarters of a mile each way between the ticket booth and the waterfall. Now in my book a hike involves a path or trail of dubious quality that is often overgrown, involves rocks, mud and other obstacles. This is the sort of thing you would not attempt to do without good walking boots, at least not if you have any sense. What it does most certainly not involve is a paved path. That I would call a leisurely walk especially if there is plenty to see along the way.

After I read tiggrbaby's post that she could not remember needing hiking boots, I decided to do some more research. I waded through a considerable amount of reviews on Trip Advisor and although some mentioned the dreaded "H" word, the overwhelming majority referred to a paved path winding through a botanical garden and stunning nature. I then also found the website for Waimea Falls Park and the map on there shows a paved road as access route to the waterfall. So that is good enough for me. It does state that the access to the pool by the waterfall is a little steep and stony, but I fully expect this. Just in case I ordered a pair of Keen sandals.

We may decide not to swim anyway although this is something I think I need to get out of my system. We were supposed to swim by a waterfall on our excursion in Maui in 2012, but this waterfall was right by the sea and on the day we were there, the surf was crashing into the pool and they closed it. So I still have not swam underneath a waterfall.





Of course, this means that we are now definitely not going to make the Dole Plantation that day. Still the next day, we have no plans other than that I want to attend the Mahalo Member Mingle at 8:00. We can set off after this and should get to the Dole Plantation around opening time and can just spend a leisurely morning there before returning to Aulani for a lazy afternoon.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Glad you added Waimea Falls to your day. It really is a lovely place. I can't remember the walk out at all and what the path was like. But then, it was quite a few years ago since we were there.

 

[Pinkocto]

This sounds like a very worthy addition.