How Many Surprises Can One PTR Hold!?! (Updated 01/29) Almost There!!!

[PrincessAmongPrinces]

Really cute shirts!! Great job

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

Great job on the shirts!!! I also love that shirt from Joanns, what a fun project!

[Oliquig]

Originally Posted by Stringbean&Wingnut

Great job on the shirts!!! I also love that shirt from Joanns, what a fun project!

Awww, thanks!

[Oliquig]

So I was hemming and hawing about where to stay, one of the All-Stars, Pop, or punch it up to a mod? I stayed at ASMu once upon a time during MMD back in 1995, so I didn't really want a repeat on the only place I've stayed before, but did I really want to spend the money on a Mod. Back and forth, back and forth, I couldn't make up my mind.

Then there were rumors. Many, many internet rumors about free dining. Rumors that the free dining would include our dates. So I did some more Disney math. Staying at a value, there wasn't much of a chance of a big room-only discount, plus we don't go often enough to get a special pin or code.

Now let me explain my schedule. I live on the East Coast, so 7AM Disney-time is 7AM my time. Awesome right?

Now ask me where I am at 7AM.

What was that? Where am I at 7AM? Oh, that would be driving to work.

Now if I had heard about the promotion earlier, I could have put in to come in later, but I didn't, so I couldn't.

No problem, I'll go into work, check the Dis boards, see if its true, and then just call.

Hmmm. Where did the Dis boards go? Did we kill it?

Finally I manage to get to a page that seems to have people having got through and booked, prompts me to call.

Circuits are busy.Circuits are busy.Circuits are busy.Circuits are busy.Circuits are busy.Circuits are busy.Circuits are busy.Circuits are busy.Circuits are busy.Circuits are busy.Circuits are busy.Circuits are busy.Circuits are busy.Circuits are busy.Circuits are busy.Circuits are busy.Circuits are busy.Circuits are busy.Circuits are busy.Circuits are busy.Circuits are busy.

*magic wand sound* YEAH! "Current wait time is...45 minutes."

fine.

One hour and thirteen minutes later...

Ming (my lovely CM) assures me that yes free dining is available for my dates and books me for eight nights at....


Pop! Yes, newer than the ASMs, but cheaper than a mod. Best of both worlds, IMHO. Now Ming presents me with another dilema, do I do the QSDP, or do I upgrade to the regular plan.

Okay, okay not really a tough decision for me. When on vacation I do not want QS all the time, so upgrade it was.

So there you are, we will be staying at Pop for our surprised filled Disney vacation...or will we??? (Dun, dun, dun)

[FosterA]

hey there! joining in. I'm a bit of a lurker on trip reports but just wanted to let you know that I'll be reading along

[Oliquig]

Originally Posted by FosterA

hey there! joining in. I'm a bit of a lurker on trip reports but just wanted to let you know that I'll be reading along

Aww, thanks, I'm more of a lurker myself, but it is good to know people actually read this thing! Really its just fun to type it all out and have it put down permanently.

I did do something Disney related today I went and got the bag I'll be using for this trip, and for our trip to NYC this fall. I also got a matching wallet.

And by I got, I mean it was purchased for me...since tomorrow is my birthday!!!

Its supposed to rain tomorrow, so I won't be doing much, but I will post agian with the next installment, which includes the next BIG surprise.

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

I had been on hold for 45 minutes on Free Dining day, and thought that was a long time! I'm not sure that I wouldn't have given up before an hour and 13 minutes!!

I've never stayed at Pop, but I've heard great things about it. It always seems so fun and lively. Although now you might be staying somewhere else...? Hmm...did you decide to go with a moderate? I'm excited to see where you chose!

[heathsf]

Happy Birthday!

[Oliquig]

Originally Posted by heathsf

Happy Birthday!

Thank you. I just wished you the same on your PTR.

I had a good birthday, even though it did rain ALL DAY LONG. I got some gift cards, and the afore mentioned bag and wallet (the Vera Bradley Hipster and the Carry-It-All Wristlet in Mocha Rouge in case you were interested) plus some earrings from my niece Noelle.

Speaking of Noelle, here she is outside the restaurant we ate at for my birthday, disregard the sweatshirt, its from the camp she went to, so she HAD to wear it.



Now onto the plans! Now I really did book Pop and put down my deposit, and all was good.

And then I started thinking. (This is what usually gets me in trouble.)

I was paying $400 to upgrade to the regular DDP, but if memory served me from when I had been playing around with different resort options, I think it wasn't much more than that to the price of a moderate.

I called back the next day, and low and behold the moderate price was within the amount I'd given myself to spend extra!

Now we'd have queen beds, a refridgerator, double sinks, queen beds, a water slide, bigger rooms, and of course queen beds.

You may have noticed a slight emphasis on one of those items, since neither Nina nor I are tiny people and since I will be the one sharing with Noelle (who kicks and steals covers) a larger bed is much preferable.

So where will we be staying??? POFQ!!!! (Um, did someone just say beignets??)

Now ask me; did you tell Nina that you upgraded the resort?

Why no, no I did not.

Just add this surprise to the list. Luckily Pop and Port Orleans begin with the same letters, because I've almost messed up a few times already.

Up Next, ADRs!

[disneychic]

Hey Rachel I just noticed on your post on my PTR that you have a PTR started! I'm so happy that I noticed that and came over to read up on your trip! I'm so glad that you're feeling better after last year and I'm excited that we're both going to WDW at the same time next year! Plus we're both living in New England....guess we'll both be watching the weather forecast like hawks! Looking foward to reading more of your PTR! Have you booked your ADR's yet?

[ZehnJahren]

Originally Posted by Oliquig

Now onto the plans! Now I really did book Pop and put down my deposit, and all was good.

And then I started thinking. (This is what usually gets me in trouble.)

I was paying $400 to upgrade to the regular DDP, but if memory served me from when I had been playing around with different resort options, I think it wasn't much more than that to the price of a moderate.

I called back the next day, and low and behold the moderate price was within the amount I'd given myself to spend extra!

Now we'd have queen beds, a refridgerator, double sinks, queen beds, a water slide, bigger rooms, and of course queen beds.

You may have noticed a slight emphasis on one of those items, since neither Nina nor I are tiny people and since I will be the one sharing with Noelle (who kicks and steals covers) a larger bed is much preferable.

So where will we be staying??? POFQ!!!! (Um, did someone just say beignets??)

Now ask me; did you tell Nina that you upgraded the resort?

Why no, no I did not.

Just add this surprise to the list. Luckily Pop and Port Orleans begin with the same letters, because I've almost messed up a few times already.

Up Next, ADRs![/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

Oh yay, an upgrade AND a surprise! I couldn't convince myself to upgrade from Pop, but that's mainly because I'm paying OOP for food! I'm sure I would have used Disney logic and Disney math to do an upgrade if I weren't.

That will be a fun surprise! Now, you just have to keep the secret!

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

POFQ looks really wonderful, I'm sure you're going to love it there! It's always been the most appealing out of the mods to me because of its smaller size. Oh, and the beignets, of course!!

But even more importantly, I just got my new Vera in Mocha Rouge too! And matching flip flops ! I love that pattern, it's definitely my new favorite! I hope you had a great birthday!!

[Oliquig]

Originally Posted by disneychic

Hey Rachel I just noticed on your post on my PTR that you have a PTR started! I'm so happy that I noticed that and came over to read up on your trip! I'm so glad that you're feeling better after last year and I'm excited that we're both going to WDW at the same time next year! Plus we're both living in New England....guess we'll both be watching the weather forecast like hawks! Looking foward to reading more of your PTR! Have you booked your ADR's yet?

Ugh the weather last winter. I haven't really complained about the heat this summer, hoping this will mean a mild winter. I've already told Nina that we will be leaving early if the forcast calls for snow.

That will be a fun surprise! Now, you just have to keep the secret!

Tell me about it, and its not easy.

POFQ looks really wonderful, I'm sure you're going to love it there! It's always been the most appealing out of the mods to me because of its smaller size. Oh, and the beignets, of course!!

But even more importantly, I just got my new Vera in Mocha Rouge too! And matching flip flops ! I love that pattern, it's definitely my new favorite! I hope you had a great birthday!!

I almost bought the flip flops too, I've been debating going back for them all week.

Besides the queen beds, the smaller size is what drew me too, less sprawl to try to map in a week.

[Oliquig]

Okay, I have decided to share my plans day by day, instead of all the food at once, because...well because thats how my brain works!

Day One (January 31, 2011)

Technically day one starts the afternoon before, since our flight leaves at 7:00 AM and Nina is not what one would call a "morning person." She's more the "talk to me before I've had two cups of coffee, and a half hour to wake up and I may kill you" type person.

So we will be staying at a hotel near the airport, the Holiday Inn Express in case anyone cares. It has an indoor pool, which should help Noelle burn off some of the extreme excitement Noelle will have at this point.

Another reason for this is, it is winter in New England, and if its anything like last winter, the last thing we want to do first thing off the plane is clean two feet of snow off the car.

All right, so our morning flight should arrive in Orlando by 10:05, which should put us to the hotel at noonish. Now I don't know at which point I will tell them about the resort change. If POFQ and Pop share the same bus, I might not tell them until we're on our way, or I may spill the beans on the flight, it depends on how crazy its making me.

Now once we get to the resort we will check in and see if our room is ready. The rest of the afternoon depends on the weather, if it is hot enough to swim we will grab a quick CS (OOP) at the resort and then swim, if it isn't then we will boat it over to DTD and eat at WPE or EOS (OOP) and shop. Return back to the resort to get ready for dinner at BOMA (DP) over at AKL. I have never eaten here before, so it should be fun. I have an ADR for 5:40, so we should be in for an early night, since it will have been a long day and I want to be up for park opening the next day!

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

Originally Posted by Oliquig

I almost bought the flip flops too, I've been debating going back for them all week.

I really like them! They're nice and comfy.

Last year I had surprised DBF that we were staying at the Yacht Club, not POR. Originally I had been plotting to stave off telling him as long as possible (waiting until we were on Magical Express, etc). And I had happened to make the switch RIGHT when the ME tags were mailed out, so I actually got them for both resorts, making the surprise even more possible.

In the end, I decided to tell him the day before. I didn't want to tell him in the airport (too hectic), and I wanted him to be able to get all excited too, and have some anticipation like I had had!

(How I told him was I was like "oh, here are our luggage tags" (I had given him the ones for POR beforehand), and he's all "how many sets of luggage tags do we get????" before looking at them.)

Waiting until the last moment sounds like fun too, but I honestly don't think I could hold out that long!! Plus, they do say out loud which resort you're going to in the ME line and when you're getting on the bus.