As you can see, I'm not here much.
I think about so many DIS friends often, but I seem to get so caught up in FB I never make it over here. It is so much more happy over here.
Good to see you on here Tammie (and I was happy to see that you chimed in on that Aulani thread regarding the adults-only pool). Yes, I think about my DIS-friends a lot too and am sorry that I don't have the time or energy to post very much on here. We've had 3 great trips since the one reported here, but it's so much work getting the photos ready for posting and then all the writing...I just can't bring myself to do it anymore. Judy and I went to Hawaii back in 2018 and had an amazing trip. We went to Kauai for 5 nights and then to Oahu (staying at Aulani) for 6 nights. The highlight of the trip was probably the helicopter tour we did on Kauai, with snorkeling at Hanauma Bay earning honorable mention. Visiting Pearl Harbor didn't work out, as I planned for it on the day we changed islands, and our plane was delayed. Plus, that was when there was an issue with the dock for the boat that takes you out...hopefully, that's fixed by now. Anyway, we never made it there. Something for next time. Speaking of next time, we are planning to go back next year, probably September. We loved Aulani and actually canceled some sight-seeing plans just to spend more time relaxing at the resort. Moving forward to 2019, in October, Judy and I went to WDW for Food & Wine for a week, and then made another trip over year-end, when we took all of the kids (son-in-law's first visit) and stayed in a 2-bedroom DVC suite at Kidani. The kids loved seeing Galaxy's Edge. For New Year's Eve, we went to Raglan Road and a fight broke out inside the bar! State troopers actually had to remove someone...I tell ya, the lengths Disney will go to in order to give you an authentic experience!
I follow some DISers on Instagram. I'll forget someone or two, but lemme think. On here, they went by KatMark, Captain_Oblivious, MEK, brookelizabeth, elphie101, onelilspark, tinacaplan, onescgirl, GreatBiscuit, vamassey1, YukiPhnx. I'm sure there's a couple more. Unfortunately, I had to make my account private, but if you're a DISer I recognize I'll accept you. (Sorry if someone requested and I didn't accept. You haven't missed much, just a lot of breakfast photos posted while I quarantined at home!)
I have to know - updates on your family - I don't see any more trip reports listed - any more weddings? Any more grandkids?
Well, let me start with the not-so-good...2019 was a really bad year for us, as Judy and I both lost a parent (her Dad, my Mom). By the time the pandemic came, I was like, "Bring it on...what more can happen?!" But in the good news department, in December we'll be promoted to "grandparents". Lauren and David are expecting. No additional weddings, we'll see. James is a senior at Penn State, so we'll have the last one through that big expense soon.
We bought some points at HHI resale and we're going to visit for 5 days in April. I'm excited to see another "home!" I enjoyed reading about your experiences there so much!
We did too! I was watching resale prices as the pandemic broke out and Disney stopped exercising ROFR. One morning on our daily walk with the dog, I mentioned to Judy that prices were pretty low and Disney wasn't buying them back. If I were to try for something, I think it'd be Hilton Head so that I could get booking priority there...and of course, we could always use more points. She said, "Go for it!" By the end of the day, I had a nice contract (although stripped, but I wasn't planning on going anywhere anytime soon) for $65 a point, which I was very happy with. I think I saw that Disney is buying them back at around $75/point now. Anyway, we're going to Hilton Head with the first use of those points in just a few days, for a week in a studio.