You're the best parents in the world! I gotta pee! Where's My Tooth? Trip report!

[MICKEY4EVER!]

Then get ready 'cause I'm speeding through Alabama on my way to Florida. Just have your suitcase in hand and runnin' shoes on. I'll go slow and you can jump on.

 

[MICKEY4EVER!]

I hope you get to experience T-Rex this go around. I'm not big on themed restaurants (or really just stopping to eat in general while at Disney), but this one was totally awesome!!! I'd go again and again...

 

[mickeystoontown]

GUESS WHAT!!!!!!!!! I couldn't leave well enough alone and called Disney Travel on my way home. This was to be my last call to see if they'd let me upgrade my buy 4/get 3 free resort. This is almost the exact conversation:

Me: When I booked our buy 4/get 3 free reservation, I asked if I could upgrade to a moderate resort at any time. I was told that I could and there would be no penalties because I would be spending more money. Can I upgrade to the Caribbean Beach Resort now please?

Castmember: Yes Lisa, that's true if the resort is available. If I can get the Caribbean Beach for you, do you wish to upgrade?

Me: Absolutely, if the price is something I can afford. It has to be less than $500.00 or we can't do it.

Castmember: Do you mind holding for a minute?

Me: Sure.

LISTENING TO SPLASH MOUNTAIN MUSIC AND THEN THE DWARFS SING HI HO HI HO!

Castmember: I found a standard room at the Caribbean Beach Resort for you.

Me: Great, how much extra would it cost?

Castmember: Let's see. I'll have to see what the difference comes to. Hum, it looks ike $456.64.

Me: Do it!

Sooooooo, we are now staying at the CBR!!!!!!! No hauling around the ice chest or dorm size fridge. No worrying about the single bus line at Pop. No worrying about room size. Those were my three worries about Pop. One day we'll probably rebook a stay at Pop but this year, we are going back to our favorite, Caribbean Beach Resort.

Hey, I just had a thought......I can swipe more little flowers.

 

[mickeystoontown]

I hope you get to experience T-Rex this go around. I'm not big on themed restaurants (or really just stopping to eat in general while at Disney), but this one was totally awesome!!! I'd go again and again...

We have to eat at either Rainforest Cafe or Planet Hollywood each trip (with the exception of last August 'cause we simply didn't have the time or the money in the budget). I have an ADR to eat at T-Rex the night we arrive at Disney.

 

[aaaateamsgrandma]

Totally awsome. And just after I thought you were convinced POP was ok. Good for you.

 

[mickeystoontown]

Totally awsome. And just after I thought you were convinced POP was ok. Good for you.

I really was okay with Pop . Not to say that I didn't want to stay at the CBR. I think it kind of became a mission to see if I could make it happen. Really and truly honestly, if they had told me $500.00 or more, I would have turned it down.

I was halfway through posting another trip report update and my computer totally shut down. I guess I'll have to start all over again. I think we may be having some power surges because it's so hot here. Today at lunch, it was 102.

I still haven't found some of my Downtown Disney photos but did find the ones of where we visited Pop.

 

[longing2Batdisney]

Sooooooo, we are now staying at the CBR!!!!!!! No hauling around the ice chest or dorm size fridge. No worrying about the single bus line at Pop. No worrying about room size. Those were my three worries about Pop. One day we'll probably rebook a stay at Pop but this year, we are going back to our favorite, Caribbean Beach Resort.

Hey, I just had a thought......I can swipe more little flowers.

See how great things are when you get someone knows what they are doing!!!!!!!
I'm sooooo happy you were able to get a great deal!!!

No no! on the flowers the Disney police might be waiting for you this go round.

 

[aaaateamsgrandma]

I will patiently wait for more. Glad for you on the CBR switch. You make a Diser proud.

 

[hhockman]

I am SOOOOOOOOO excited for you!!!

I know you would have been okay at POP, but it's hard to go on vacation not getting exactly what you want. Now you know you'll be really happy (and you can still eat what you want!)

I've stayed at POP. It's okay. I'm in the minority that prefers the AllStars, actually (specifically the Sports because we're a big-into-sports family). But value resorts just aren't moderates.

They just aren't.

They are great for what they are...which is still Disney and still really cool and resonably priced...but they're not moderates.

I'm secretly really glad that we HAD to stay at a moderate this year ('cause with Cole we make 5). If Cole wasn't with us we'd have probably stayed value and saved the money. But we didn't have any choice.

Question: Are you still going to do Cirque now that you're not saving the $500?

 

[MICKEY4EVER!]

Yay, Lisa!!!! Good for you! Persistance pays off, huh?

I'm so glad that you are going to T-REX, too. Awesome place. I like Rainforest pretty well, but I've only eaten at Planet Hollywood once. It wasn't a good experience and we haven't been back since.

And it really does make a difference staying where you want to stay. My first 2 trips we stayed at WLV and the third was at Saratoga. Lovely resort, but HUGE! It wasn't anything at all like Wilderness and I found myself missing it terribly. So, now you will KNOW this upcoming trip is going to be everything you want it to be. I'm totally happy for you!!!!

 

[mickeystoontown]

See how great things are when you get someone knows what they are doing!!!!!!!
I'm sooooo happy you were able to get a great deal!!!

No no! on the flowers the Disney police might be waiting for you this go round.

I will patiently wait for more. Glad for you on the CBR switch. You make a Diser proud.

I am SOOOOOOOOO excited for you!!!

I know you would have been okay at POP, but it's hard to go on vacation not getting exactly what you want. Now you know you'll be really happy (and you can still eat what you want!)

I've stayed at POP. It's okay. I'm in the minority that prefers the AllStars, actually (specifically the Sports because we're a big-into-sports family). But value resorts just aren't moderates.

They just aren't.

They are great for what they are...which is still Disney and still really cool and resonably priced...but they're not moderates.

I'm secretly really glad that we HAD to stay at a moderate this year ('cause with Cole we make 5). If Cole wasn't with us we'd have probably stayed value and saved the money. But we didn't have any choice.

Question: Are you still going to do Cirque now that you're not saving the $500?

Yay, Lisa!!!! Good for you! Persistance pays off, huh?

I'm so glad that you are going to T-REX, too. Awesome place. I like Rainforest pretty well, but I've only eaten at Planet Hollywood once. It wasn't a good experience and we haven't been back since.

And it really does make a difference staying where you want to stay. My first 2 trips we stayed at WLV and the third was at Saratoga. Lovely resort, but HUGE! It wasn't anything at all like Wilderness and I found myself missing it terribly. So, now you will KNOW this upcoming trip is going to be everything you want it to be. I'm totally happy for you!!!!

Thanks for all the congrats. I think what happened is the first two castmembers weren't really listening to what I was saying. I was just trying to modify/upgrade the first reservation. When I got the castmember yesterday afternoon, I made sure that she really understood what I was trying to do. And I figured my saying that I'd be spending more money couldn't hurt.

To be perfectly honest, John and I were okay with staying at Pop until Lacey found out she could come along. I was scared we would be would have too much stuff in our room since we would now be three adults and a 12 year old and we'd feel packed in. But, there was no way in heck I was going to tell her that.

Will we still go to Cirque? That's still a very real possibility. It was never decided for sure that we would go. Our options were Cirque, renting some kind of watercraft, horseback riding or the new balloon thing at Downtown Disney.

I already have $864.00 of spending money saved. My boss gives me $100.00 cash each week. Why the cash? Because he wanted to give me a raise and by the time we took taxes out, I would be bringing home virtually none of it. So, he decided to give me cash. I didn't complain. Usually, that $100.00 is our entertainment and lunch money. You know like going out to eat, going to the movies, etc. Now, I'll probably put the majority of it in our vacation fund.

I haven't added Lacey to the reservation yet because I am afraid something will happen last minute and her leaders will tell her she HAS to be back in Georgia on time. If she goes on the trip with us, she will be going back three days late. That wouldn't be a problem if she wasn't group/apartment leader and she was not the only returning female student. I already know that it will cost $660.00 to add her to the reservation. I have that money set aside already.

I think we go to Rainforest Cafe and Planet Hollywood mostly for the kids. We have always gotten fairly good service at both places. Hunter and Lacey are eating at Planet Hollywood by themselves this go round so that John and I can go to the Grand Floridian Cafe for our anniversary dinner. I feel like such a bad parent for leaving them to themselves even if they are 22 and 12. Our plan it to meet back up at Downtown Disney and do Disney Quest or shop.

Oh by the way, we aren't telling Hunter or Lacey that we have upgraded to the CBR. We are just going to pull up to the Caribbean Beach instead of Pop Century so this is another semi-surprise trip.

I tried three times last night to get more pictures posted. Like I said, we are having some super high temperatures here (today's high is supposed to be 100) and I think we are having mini powersurges. I will try my best to get back to the trip report during my lunch hour.

 

[MICKEY4EVER!]

Hi, again, Lisa! Where in the world did you find your boss??? I want one like yours! What I could do with $100 extra per week...How wonderful that you are able to apply that to your vacation.

I'm loving the surprise angle again. I can't wait to see how it turns out... And I think the brother/sister bonding time will be good for the kiddos. Besides, Mom and Dad should be able to have an anniversary dinner to themselves, don't you think? Of course, I haven't been on an anniversary dinner w/out DS4 yet! It' s that mommy guilt for leaving them behind. I get you 100 percent! Don't feel guilty, though!!! (pointy finger lookin' at you...)

 

[MICKEY4EVER!]

Oh, and i know what you mean about the hot weather, too. When I got in my car yesterday, it said the outside temp was 101!

 

[aaaateamsgrandma]

That is so totally awsome. We did Planet Hollywood and had a really good time. They treated us very well. I know they are used to big parties as all the Disney restaraunts are. Congratulations on the upgrade again.

I do think my link is sorta fixed. You might give it a try if you have time. I brought my pics to work today so I can finish the travel.
Ginny

 

[mickeystoontown]

Hi, again, Lisa! Where in the world did you find your boss??? I want one like yours! What I could do with $100 extra per week...How wonderful that you are able to apply that to your vacation.

I'm loving the surprise angle again. I can't wait to see how it turns out... And I think the brother/sister bonding time will be good for the kiddos. Besides, Mom and Dad should be able to have an anniversary dinner to themselves, don't you think? Of course, I haven't been on an anniversary dinner w/out DS4 yet! It' s that mommy guilt for leaving them behind. I get you 100 percent! Don't feel guilty, though!!! (pointy finger lookin' at you...)

I've been in the legal field for a little over 26 years now so I've known my new boss for many many years. Remember the whole story of why I left my old job that I posted quite a while ago? Well, I went to my new boss for legal advise on what to do. When I called him and asked if I could come by and talk, he said "Do you want a job? My secretary left me a note yesterday saying she wasn't coming back and wasn't cut out for the job." Both he and I were kind of in a "desperate" mode so it worked out just perfectly. He told me to take a week off before starting to work for him and now the two of us are perfectly happy.

I'm am definitely not trying to toot my own horn here but I know what I am doing. I can get stuff off my desk in no time. I am a great people person so his business is booming. His previous secretary(ies) were pieces of poop (turn over in the legal business is outrageous) so I guess my record looked pretty good to him. I love getting the $100.00 cash. Uncle Sam doesn't have to know anything about it and I get extra money in my pocket.

I am all over the surprise aspect of this trip. Lacey has only stayed onsite once and it was at the CBR. Hunter has stayed three times and all three were at the CBR. I thought I'd never get another chance to surprise the kids but now I do!

 

[mickeystoontown]

That is so totally awsome. We did Planet Hollywood and had a really good time. They treated us very well. I know they are used to big parties as all the Disney restaraunts are. Congratulations on the upgrade again.

I do think my link is sorta fixed. You might give it a try if you have time. I brought my pics to work today so I can finish the travel.
Ginny

I just went over to your trip report with no problems whatsoever. Who knows what the problem was. Looking forward to seeing your pictues.

The Planet Hollywood lasagna is to die for!

 

[aaaateamsgrandma]

The Planet Hollywood lasagna is to die for!

That is what Don had. He said it was like heaven.

I edited my report and put names in all the spots. I know them so much better by their names. It makes it much easier for me. It is nice to have a name to a face.

 

[MICKEY4EVER!]

Hey, you can toot your own horn! If you're good, you're good!

And I know we're not supposed to talk religion on these boards, but it sounds like you and your boss both received a blessing from above when you called him up. It was obviously meant to be!!!!

 

[mickeystoontown]

That is what Don had. He said it was like heaven.

I edited my report and put names in all the spots. I know them so much better by their names. It makes it much easier for me. It is nice to have a name to a face.

You know what's weird? I am so not a foodie when we are at home but when it comes to "Disney food", I plan our meals like a fiend.

I think you're adding names to the faces on your trip report will make it a much easier read.

Hey, you can toot your own horn! If you're good, you're good!

And I know we're not supposed to talk religion on these boards, but it sounds like you and your boss both received a blessing from above when you called him up. It was obviously meant to be!!!!

I actually went to counseling at our church when I was going through the problems at my old employment. I had to make some really tough decisions and in the end decided to take the high road and let nature take it's course. Once I made that decision, everything fell in place. Old boss got in a bit of trouble, new job fell in my lap (I don't think it was by chance, I think it was planned by somebody else) and I love my new boss.

I agree. I have been blessed.

 

[aaaateamsgrandma]

Quote:
Originally Posted by MICKEY4EVER!
Hey, you can toot your own horn! If you're good, you're good!

And I know we're not supposed to talk religion on these boards, but it sounds like you and your boss both received a blessing from above when you called him up. It was obviously meant to be!!!!

I actually went to counseling at our church when I was going through the problems at my old employment. I had to make some really tough decisions and in the end decided to take the high road and let nature take it's course. Once I made that decision, everything fell in place. Old boss got in a bit of trouble, new job fell in my lap (I don't think it was by chance, I think it was planned by somebody else) and I love my new boss.

I agree. I have been blessed.

You girls are my kind of peeps. I count those blessings everyday.