Life’s too short...to never sleep in a treehouse! 8/27 TR is up! Link in siggie

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by elphie101

*comes out of lurkdom*

Hello there! I recently read your other TR and it was most definitely one of my favorites yet! I simply adore your family - Eric reminds me of Lewis from Meet the Robinsons! (Did you see it? You know, the one that had the dinosaur......"I have a big head, and tiny arms.".............anyway, sidetracked)

YAY! A delurker

first of all

!

thanks for lurking, and delurking and I'd love to have you along for the ride!

College trips are the BEST! My very first spring break in college was a DL trip. It was a great time!

I know the kids have seen meet the Robinsons...but I haven't! Sad huh. This is what happens when other people take your kids to movies and you don't buy them on DVD. But I do know he loved it and loved Lewis. I heard a lot about it at the time. Your description of his dinosaur has me So while I have no context I can hear Eric going around saying that about one of his stuffed animals. Sidetrack away, that's part of the fun of PTR's!

Originally Posted by elphie101

As someone who has lived half an hour from Boston all her life and currently attending college there, I can say that there's no better place (in my humble opinion) to go to college. Berklee is a fantastic school, and I love the area of town that it's in. Have you guys made a visit to New England yet? That sure is brave of Taylor to want to pursue his dreams even if they lead him across the country - I know I couldn't have done it.

I Boston. What school are you at? I would love to spend more time there.

You might surprise yourself. If it was something you wanted badly enough I think we all can follow a dream to an out of our comfort zone place. We will see how badly he wants this! I think he'll have a harder time with New England, it's a pretty big culture shock from Seattle, and he's not considering that but then again I'm not sure he'll care. Guys are funny that way.

Originally Posted by elphie101

a) the Value season (being poor college students and all)
b) the potential of free dining (I can just imagine all the Mickey shaped waffles) and
c) a reluctant but necessary half day at IoA for, what else, the Harry Potter themed area.

Yep to all of the above. I'd have to ammend it to say

a) the Value season (being the parents of 4 very expensive kids, me without a steady income, a very broke BIL and retired IL's all of whom need to spend as little as possible AND it being the only time we don't have a conflict)

b) the potential of free dining (It better not be potential, I"m counting on it and picking dates accordingly!)

c) a reluctant but necessary half day at IoA for, what else, the Harry Potter themed area.

Ok, I might have to disagree with c. A half day is not enough at IoA. SOOOOO not the same BUT very very fun. If you are going to buy the ticket, which is a much better deal for 2 days and hopper lol, spend the full day. By all means though, eat back at Disney!

My BFP does have this built in as well but more on that later. There will be some discussion of He who Shall not be Named and the dark side but I'll try to keep it to a minimum.

[eandesmom]

Good morning everyone!

I just wanted to share this thought, it's one of my favorites

Listen to Mustn'ts, child,
Listen to the Don'ts.
Listen to the Shouldn'ts, the Impossibles, the Won'ts.
Listen to the Never Haves, then listen close to me.
Anything can happen, child, Anything can be.

-Shel Silverstein

Official trip mantra methinks.

[elphie101]

Originally Posted by eandesmom

I Boston. What school are you at? I would love to spend more time there.

I'm at Suffolk University, studying theater. Suffolk's in the Beacon Hill area, smack dab in the middle of everything (which makes it nearly impossible to find an affordable apartment ) while Berklee's more in the Back Bay, but I'm there all the time because of Best Buy (I never realized how much I'd miss chain stores like Best Buy living in the city) and of course, the god of all shopping malls, the Prudential center

Originally Posted by eandesmom

Yep to all of the above. I'd have to ammend it to say

a) the Value season (being the parents of 4 very expensive kids, me without a steady income, a very broke BIL and retired IL's all of whom need to spend as little as possible AND it being the only time we don't have a conflict)

b) the potential of free dining (It better not be potential, I"m counting on it and picking dates accordingly!)

c) a reluctant but necessary half day at IoA for, what else, the Harry Potter themed area.

Ok, I might have to disagree with c. A half day is not enough at IoA. SOOOOO not the same BUT very very fun. If you are going to buy the ticket, which is a much better deal for 2 days and hopper lol, spend the full day. By all means though, eat back at Disney!

If I'm honest with myself, I know we're probably going to spend at least a full day at IoA. I've been there once with my family and it took us a full day to do the park - and we skipped a lot because it was bucketing rain the whole time. There's just a small part of me that keeps shattering the illusion with the fact that every night we're there is about one week's paycheck on room alone even at the Pop, which is what I'm looking at.(Like I'm going to stay off-property. *points to siggie* This is finally my chance to have a FULL Disney experience!) I'll talk it over with my roommate when the time comes closer although this excursion is really more for me, as she's only read half the books.........but working on that.

When abouts do they usually release free dining for that late August period? We'd still go during that time even if they didn't, because it's the only Value season during school break and neither of us can take off from school, but I really would love to have the free dining.....

[Lady Lallie]

Originally Posted by eandesmom

Good morning everyone!

I just wanted to share this thought, it's one of my favorites

Listen to Mustn'ts, child,
Listen to the Don'ts.
Listen to the Shouldn'ts, the Impossibles, the Won'ts.
Listen to the Never Haves, then listen close to me.
Anything can happen, child, Anything can be.

-Shel Silverstein

Official trip mantra methinks.

Oh I love Shel Silverstein!! A wonderful trip mantra!

[KathyRN137]

Your perspective is wonderful... it's important to stop and reflect on the mysteries of life and love that get us where we need to be!


Kathy

PS: What did you write??


Kathy

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by KathyRN137

Your perspective is wonderful... it's important to stop and reflect on the mysteries of life and love that get us where we need to be!


Kathy

PS: What did you write??


Kathy

A book

A first effort. Filled with P's.

Pondering
Pedantic
Pedestrian
Pretty purposeless prose



It was a first effort and it was an amazing experience but not something I see getting published. A light fluffy chick lit type novel that wasn't as light as I wanted it to be. I am SO glad I did it. I learned a ton and do have my next book idea which I am super dooper deluper excited about. It will take quite a bit of research though and I'm unsure if I want to start tackling it now or if it's a later in life type project. I don't think the story is going anywhere. It's not light and fluffy. But it will have moments.

And of course, I need to figure out how to move past all those P's....

thanks for asking!

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by elphie101

I'm at Suffolk University, studying theater. Suffolk's in the Beacon Hill area, smack dab in the middle of everything (which makes it nearly impossible to find an affordable apartment ) while Berklee's more in the Back Bay, but I'm there all the time because of Best Buy (I never realized how much I'd miss chain stores like Best Buy living in the city) and of course, the god of all shopping malls, the Prudential center

I love that area, very cool!

Originally Posted by elphie101

If I'm honest with myself, I know we're probably going to spend at least a full day at IoA. I've been there once with my family and it took us a full day to do the park - and we skipped a lot because it was bucketing rain the whole time. There's just a small part of me that keeps shattering the illusion with the fact that every night we're there is about one week's paycheck on room alone even at the Pop, which is what I'm looking at.(Like I'm going to stay off-property. *points to siggie* This is finally my chance to have a FULL Disney experience!) I'll talk it over with my roommate when the time comes closer although this excursion is really more for me, as she's only read half the books.........but working on that.

I hear you! Although you could to 1-2 nights off and get IoA out of the way at the start and then move to Pop so that way you don't feel like you are wasting your pop nights at IoA and you would keep your experiences separate.

Originally Posted by elphie101

When abouts do they usually release free dining for that late August period? We'd still go during that time even if they didn't, because it's the only Value season during school break and neither of us can take off from school, but I really would love to have the free dining.....

Ok, if memory serves it's April for Disney Visa card holders and May for everyone else? Ish? Somewhere on the DIS there is a list of historical dates so it has a pretty good idea of the general timeframe which is what I'm banking on.

Originally Posted by Lady Lallie

Oh I love Shel Silverstein!! A wonderful trip mantra!

Me too! Actually Evan's favorite book as a (younger) child was The Missing Piece. Still a huge favorite although the rat has found some "new" cool kids poet that he swears is better than Shel Silverstein. I tell him to bite his tongue.

[eandesmom]

A sneak preview at the BFP… v0

I contemplated waiting on the BFP until I’d actually booked something.

But I’m impatient.

At work, when I’m doing bids or estimates or proposals, we are BIG on versioning. Our versions are always zero dot versions until it is actually presented to the client. So I figure I’ll go with zero dot until ADR day (which is a bit convoluted, does that make ME the client? Somehow in my twisted brain it seems logical and a more “real” version once ADR’s are made) as it will be VERY interesting to see how many rev’s I go through! Heck, it will be interesting to see how long it is between v0 and v0.1. Maybe I'll take a poll as to how many version between now and what will that be...February 28th-ish? Not that I'm counting.

To recap…here are the WHY’s for this trip. Some of which I have mentioned, some not.

In no particular order

1. Life’s too short to not go back while Taylor is still in High School. This is our LAST summer with him. AACK!
2. Doug
3. Paul loves Disney World
4. Sandie's never been
5. OPD will be over, historically there isn't a soccer tournament the weekend before labor day (for MEK and any other soccer dorks out there lol)
6. Free Dining
7. Value Season
8. Treehouses. I love love love the look of these. They are so very “us”. Private, woodsy but all together and all together in DISNEY!
9. 3 out of 4 kids have repeatedly mentioned wanting to stay at the Nick Hotel (actually Family suites). (I’ll get to that part later…)
10. Planning a trip with all of them (especially the kids) before that seems to be impossible (so we will have the vacation time to spend a LONGER time there!.
11. K&T have never been to IoA
12. All of us have never been to Universal Orlando (The E's and I hit Universal CA in 02, Jeff, K&T in 04)
13. Our trip savings CD's can pay it off BEFORE we go!
14. I’m crazy and need to be able to plan SOMETHING! Now.
    And…
15. THE NEW HARRY POTTER Wizarding World SHOULD BE OPEN BY THEN!

Which brings me to the BFP

The BIG FAT PLAN

v0

10 nights in Orlando!

BFP tentative dates are 8/22 (arrival 8/23)-9/2/2010

MAN I hope the kids don't start school before labor day, that opens up a whole 'nother can of worms.

Broken out as follows.

4 nights at the Nick Family Suites:

• One day at hotel (huge water park basically in the hotel)
• One day each at Universal and Islands of Adventure
• We would do this at the front of the trip so our arrival night is there. I would do it this way because the lodging is considerably cheaper and if we only get K for the front of the trip, she will want the HP/IoA/Nick stuff since that is new to her. She’d still get some Disney, just not as much.

6 nights at Disney (6 nights, free dining)

• HOPEFULLY in a treehouse!

I’m working on the Treehouse piece. For the first time in my life I’m going to let a TA deal with quite a lot of it. Too many other people, different places etc. Plus she is a friend and she’ll get me all the right deals, I’ve done enough homework to make sure she is getting me what I’d get on my own. If not better.

Here is the thing with the treehouse.

It sleeps 9. So, if no Laura, it works. It’d layout like this

B1: Jeff and I
B2: Sandie and Paul
B3: E’s (bunkbed room)
LR: Doug and Tay in the sleeper sofa, K on the pull out couch.

Treehouse works if we are less than 9. It does NOT work if we are more! And so I have back up plans if needed (and would love input!). There are other deluxe options if we are 8 or 9 but this is my favorite by a landslide because of the 3 bedrooms. The others that technically fit 9 are 2 bedrooms. UGH. It is the ONLY scenario I can picture where Jeff and I get our own room. Staying offsite is not an option lol!

My BFP is to go ahead and lock up one of these pretty little puppies as soon as I can.

If we have to change to something else it is far easier than to try to do the reverse.

I think.

Here are my backup options if we have more than 9. Trying to keep costs somewhat equal. Obviously there are other options but these are the most "like" in terms of cost.

• 3 rooms at CSR or POR (chosen for queen beds–CSR/trundles–POR) OR
• 2 cabins.
  

But but but. As much as I love the cabins and as much as it is probably a better choice than 3 mod rooms (though about the same in $$) because of the full kitchens, deck and probability of adjacent location. Can you say…BTDT?

A this moment in time, which who knows how long will last, I am leaning towards the back up of 3 rooms at CSR. Why you ask? Queen beds and Dig Pool baby. Right now that trumps the full kitchen.

The 3 room plan

R1: Jeff, I and the E's
R2: Sandie, Paul and Kendall
R3: Doug, Laura and Taylor

Of course if we are EIGHT and can't get a treehouse for whatever reason, I may go for a totally different backup plan. Can you say BLT?
I love AKL but BLT is so very Sandie....



The BLT plan

B1: Jeff, I and the E's
B2: Paul and Sandie in the master
LR: Whichever other 2 people we have, one on the pull out sofa, the other on the pull out chair. Although I seem to have read less than favorable things about that pull out chair for an adult. Should be fine for K though.

Bottom line is...

I WANNA STAY IN A TREEHOUSE!

Can I just VENT about how few options here are for larger groups to stay on property? Even DVC really isn't geared towards larger than 5, comfortably. I mean really, when we rent condo's, I want my own bedroom!

Ok, off soapbox now.

So here is the thing. I believe (HOPE) that they release these at the 11 month window and CRO online seems to confirm that as I keep checking. So right now it shows not available for the dates I want but available for earlier (up through 8/19 2010 but nothing after that). 8/19 check out does not work...that's probably close to when free dining will start. I do know that it has been offered for 2010 for the UK and their starts 8/18 (and supposedly UK getting it is a good sign for US!).

We will see what happens on the 27th! if my fabby TA doesn't lock it up before then. It seems crazy to feel like I HAVE to book it this far out but there is not another 3 bedroom option close to the price! Or one that is so very very US!




Now.

Before I get any further with BFP v0 let me address an important question that some of you may have.

Why 4 nights at Nick? Why not all at THV?


5 reasons.

1. Cost. A 3 bedroom suite is a fraction of the cost of the THV. FRACTION. Think 5:1. Of course by the time I book it that may not be the case, we shall see. Yet another reason to let someone else figure all that out for me.
2. Slime. The kids are dying to stay there. I can’t handle more than 4 nights of all that neon but, for them, I can do 4. Plus did I mention cost?
3. 2 trips in one! I like the idea of keeping Disney and Universal/Nick stuff pretty separate, almost like 2 trips. It would bug me to pay for THV and then be at IoA all day. We didn’t make it to IoA this past trip as the ticket prices made no sense for just one day. Part of the reason I have 2 days there is the tickets just make a ton more sense value wise that way. This part of the trip may well be just us, no Doug, Sandie or Paul so some nice family alone time.
4. The Lagoon Pool. Did I say Slime? They have mass sliming. I have boys. Enough said. That pool looks awfully cool and will hopefully eliminate the need for the water and more option on our tickets. The kids really want to go to Blizzard Beach and I don’t want the pricier tickets but the pool situation at THV and SSR is just ok. Nothing wrong with it and they will have a blast but…it’s not Blizzard Beach.

I love Disney. I love the world. But I am ok playing on the dark side occasionally, just not in equal time amounts. So this is a 60/40 plan but....in reality I think it will be more 70/30.

There is a caveat to the trip length. If the plane is far enough along, it could end up being a longer trip. Or Jeff just ditches us for a couple hours a day, for several of the days (probably 4). Not sure. If so I might add one Disney night and/or….take a couple of days to hit the beaches in Clearwater.

Up next... An Epiphany

[mickeysmyboy]

WOW! 2 great updates!! I love how things kinda feel into place for your last trip!! A little bit of faith goes a long way

Your plan looks great so far! I'm going to make a little suggestion though!!

Look into renting DVC points from someone who owns at Saratoga Springs!! DVC members can book a villa at their home resort 11 months outs. Finding someone who owns at SSR may very well be your best chance to actually get a Treehouse! I'm not sure how it works with the DVC villas being released for general public booking but I can tell you for sure that those treehouses are a hot commodity. Not to mention renting points through an owner will be cheaper then actually booking the room through Disney.

Go over to the DVC boards on here. There is a point rental board, see if anyone has points available that you could use it book when the 11 month window for your trip opens up in a few weeks!! I just checked my 2010 points chart and you would need 242 points for a weeks stay, a little less for less days depending on where the days of the week fall. Weekends are more points then weekdays. You can also post a thread to see if anyone has points you can rent!

I shut up now! I hope that helps!! Good luck!!!

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by mickeysmyboy

WOW! 2 great updates!! I love how things kinda feel into place for your last trip!! A little bit of faith goes a long way

Your plan looks great so far! I'm going to make a little suggestion though!!

Look into renting DVC points from someone who owns at Saratoga Springs!! DVC members can book a villa at their home resort 11 months outs. Finding someone who owns at SSR may very well be your best chance to actually get a Treehouse! I'm not sure how it works with the DVC villas being released for general public booking but I can tell you for sure that those treehouses are a hot commodity. Not to mention renting points through an owner will be cheaper then actually booking the room through Disney.

Go over to the DVC boards on here. There is a point rental board, see if anyone has points available that you could use it book when the 11 month window for your trip opens up in a few weeks!! I just checked my 2010 points chart and you would need 242 points for a weeks stay, a little less for less days depending on where the days of the week fall. Weekends are more points then weekdays. You can also post a thread to see if anyone has points you can rent!

I shut up now! I hope that helps!! Good luck!!!

LOL!

NO worries. I should have said something, I didn't even think about it but of course it is a logical suggestion!

I have looked into points. However FD outweighs points big time. It makes the trip affordable. I have priced it 10 ways to Sunday and Free Dining always wins with our group. I think it would really depend on your group make up.

The other thing too is....given how variable our schedules can be, I need to know I can make changes and with points not only is there a huge amount of trust with a total stranger, but dragging someone else into making changes? Ugh. I don't want to go there.

DVC wouldn't be able to book them yet either for those dates. We will see! I have to believe they haven't been released as the peak season has all kinds of availability. But we will see.

[Sandy321]

LOL

never mind- started posting over an hour ago - but got interrupted!!

[Lady Lallie]

Holy Plans, Batman!

You have mapped this out! I to you!!

I don't even know what to say. All of your contingency plans sound really good and they seem like they would work well for your group however many of you there are.

Can I just say when I went to Universal in 2003, the whole Nickelodeon aspect of the park really intrigued me. They used to advertise some sort of Nickelodeon hotel back in my Nick days but I don't remember if it is the same thing or not. I always secretly wanted to be slimed.

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by Sandy321

LOL

never mind- started posting over an hour ago - but got interrupted!!

LOL! No seriously, renting makes sense.

Just not during FD and Value season!

Thought of you today when I was on the DERN BALL!

Originally Posted by Lady Lallie

Holy Plans, Batman!

You have mapped this out! I to you!!

I don't even know what to say. All of your contingency plans sound really good and they seem like they would work well for your group however many of you there are.

Can I just say when I went to Universal in 2003, the whole Nickelodeon aspect of the park really intrigued me. They used to advertise some sort of Nickelodeon hotel back in my Nick days but I don't remember if it is the same thing or not. I always secretly wanted to be slimed.

If this all pans out, in addition to light fixtures, I promise pictures of slime

No clue if it is the same or not but the resort does seem pretty darn cool...we shall see. Lord knows the E's have bought all the tv ads hook likne and sinker! Which is why having that part be a surprise would be the BEST! no way I can pull of a full surprise but... a partial? You bet.

[Lady Lallie]

Originally Posted by eandesmom

If this all pans out, in addition to light fixtures, I promise pictures of slime

No clue if it is the same or not but the resort does seem pretty darn cool...we shall see. Lord knows the E's have bought all the tv ads hook likne and sinker! Which is why having that part be a surprise would be the BEST! no way I can pull of a full surprise but... a partial? You bet.

I'm very excited about the pictures of slime. I grew up watching Double Dare and all those fun slime shows. It was ingrained in me at a young age to like slime.

Oh that is going to be so awesome as a surprise!

[Sandy321]

5'm just doing fly by posts - I've been thinking about you -

Glad you post you are doing the whole... *sigh ab thing on my 'favorite' exercise tool the BALL

guilt by posts!!

it works!!