Losing our jobs... but still went to Disney! A Halloween 2009 TR - FINAL Update 3/1

[Simba22]

New Trip!!!!!!

LOVE the costumes!

I know, I'm so ridiculously excited it's insane. Not counting today, only 230 days to go!

Thank you i'm debating on whether or not to do costumes this year. The easiest thing by far, is to do pirate costumes but Lumar doesn't want to do that because EVERYONE does that. I told him that there is a reason for that. He was not amused. So I told him that IF we decide to do costumes, we can go without a theme then because I'm not going through all that crap again. It was just too much.

The costumes look great and congrats on getting a pin for a new trip!

Thank you! I was very excited to get it! And it saved me $500 which I can put towards airfare. I'm debating on going back to Delta...Yes they charge for luggage but I really hated not having an assigned seat.

 

[Simba22]

Just to update anyone still reading, we had a meeting last week about our impending doom... I mean layoffs ....

They told us that our Medicaid plans will be changing over to the new company as of 5/1/10.

We will not be offering our own plans to anyone who is renewing after 6/1/10, so as of 6/30/11, we will have no more commercial business.

Our Medicare plans will transition to the new company on 1/1/11.

So best case scenario means I could be here through next summer.
Worst case scenario would be sometime around the end of this year....or maybe it's the other way around? I'm HOPING for the end of November that way I can take December off and spend time with my family, then get back to work in January or February. But we'll see....I have to be the only person in America that WANTS to get laid off

Assuming I make it to November, I will have been with the company for 5 years which means I get 5 months worth of pay (paid in a lump sum that they will tax the bejesus out of) and 5 months of continued insurance coverage. After the 5 months, I can switch to COBRA if need be.

In the meantime, I have about $900 left over from my income tax refund. I was trying to save it for our trip in October but I'm seriously debating on using it to pay for a class, which could help me find a new job when the time comes.

 

[Simba22]

And I just got a GREAT deal on airfare so I booked it! I got an email from Travelocity and I went into it just to see what was being offered. I didn't even think they were booking for October yet!

I changed to JetBlue for this year (the first checked bag is free and the 2nd bag would be only $30 if we needed it), and we will be flying out of the White Plains, NY airport instead of flying out of Hartford like we always have.

The difference in price was $100 per person!! Southwest didn't have any prices listed but Delta was $288 per person RT, PLUS you have to pay for checked bags.

I was able to book RT on JetBlue for $209.40 each and that includes taxes and fees! The total was $418.80 for both of us. Last year it cost $530 so I've already saved over $100 jsut on airfare alone!

 

[jordanyosh]

Congrats to booking airfare!!!!!

 

[ILMICKEY]

It was our last day in WDW and although we're never happy to be leaving, we had somewhat of a stressful trip and were almost glad that things were winding down.

I think I took this one while we were waiting in line:

Awwww, how cute!

For those of you wondering why I needed scissors....Lumar's costume was a body suit. We discovered a few days before we left that there was no way for him to use the bathroom while wearing it. So I tried to be creative and just cut a little hole in the seem for him. It didn't work. His costume was such a PITA - it took FOREVER to get it positioned the right way and then I had to safety pin the daylights out of it to hold it in place. I told him he'd have to hold it, unless he was taking the costume off for the night.

Too freakin funny! Especially the thought of Lumar having to hold it all night!

You guys rocked those costumes! Checkout that 6 pack!!

Lumar took a picture of my boots for me:

I am loving these boots. VERY cute!

There were SO MANY PEOPLE at the party tonight it was INSANE. They were using 3 bus stops just for Pop Century. I took this picture while waiting in line. If you can see people, they are in line for a Pop bus?

I would never do the party on Halloween, would you?

Yaaaay, a new trip! I'm sorry you didn't enjoy Pop. I like it, I just don't like the fact it's the last bus stop. After a long day in the park, it sure is a long walk!

 

[ILMICKEY]

I was able to book RT on JetBlue for $209.40 each and that includes taxes and fees! The total was $418.80 for both of us. Last year it cost $530 so I've already saved over $100 jsut on airfare alone!

Good job! I am a sucker for a great deal!!

 

[Simba22]

Good job! I am a sucker for a great deal!!

Congrats to booking airfare!!!!!

Thanks! I'm so crazy excited and I still have 224 more days to go!

Too freakin funny! Especially the thought of Lumar having to hold it all night!

it's funny in retrospect but at the time I was not a happy camper. That thing was SUCH A PAIN! I might wear mine again but I'd go with the ponytail from the start and maybe some red flip-flops! I got a TON of compliments on the boots but I was pretty sure I was going to pass out in the line waiting for Minnie.

You guys rocked those costumes! Checkout that 6 pack!!

it's fake, don't let him fool you!

I would never do the party on Halloween, would you?

I won't ever again that's for sure! It was CRAZY on the 31st! A zoo, a mad house I tell ya!

Yaaaay, a new trip! I'm sorry you didn't enjoy Pop. I like it, I just don't like the fact it's the last bus stop. After a long day in the park, it sure is a long walk!

YES!! OMG it was the LAST bus stop allllllllll the waaaaaaayyyyy at the eeeeeeeennnnd! and there were just so many people there it was insane! The lines for the bus were always longer than the rides (except for TSMM! Whew! Now THAT was a LINE!!) but I think there were too many negatives overall.... We were all the way out in East Bumble-you-know-where, we had to walk to last bus stop leaving the parks then walk all the way back to our room, I couldn't figure out the layout of the resort so I kept getting lost, our quiet pool closed on the 2nd day of our trip, the cafeteria was a zoo every morning, the buses were packed full every morning and every night....

And then there was that nosey lady on her stupid segway commenting on how messy our room that morning.... (insert smiley punching another smiley in the face)

I think I just got spoiled by CSR and POFQ. Although I do miss ASMo every once in a while go figure

 

[4forWDW]

I really have enjoyed your report and am so sorry about your losses
I ran across it last week and have been reading it during work.
I loved the random thoughts - especially the CNN one where you just want the text but end up with a video. That happens to me all the time.
I'm glad you all did enjoy yourself and hope you have a pre-trip report for this upcoming trip.
I stayed at CSR in Dec 06 (with DD & DS) and loved it. At first I wasn't sure I would like it because I'm not a fan of Southwestern theming. But the resort was gorgeous - especially at Christmas. It is probably one of my favorites.
Take care and I hope the job situation works out for you the way you want.
BTW - I can't make myself take down my ticker until I can put up a new one.
Hopefully a trip Jun 2011.

 

[Simba22]

I really have enjoyed your report and am so sorry about your losses

Thank you!

And thank you for reading (and letting me know you did!) I'm glad you enjoyed it! I am still debating on a TR for our next trip...although I am super excited because I was able to convince my brother to join us! I'm so excited - our trip is going to be awesome, I know it!

I ran across it last week and have been reading it during work.

That's when I read most TR's too! My job is so boring and reading TR's takes me away to my Happy Place

I loved the random thoughts - especially the CNN one where you just want the text but end up with a video. That happens to me all the time.

Seriously! I HATE that! Just tell me what the story is! I don't want to sit here and watch a movie!

I stayed at CSR in Dec 06 (with DD & DS) and loved it. At first I wasn't sure I would like it because I'm not a fan of Southwestern theming. But the resort was gorgeous - especially at Christmas. It is probably one of my favorites.

I LOVE CSR, I really do! I fell head over heels for it after our first stay in 2007, although I have since fallen for POFQ as well. I think I will probably just alternate these two every year from now on! I went to Disney in December for my birthday in 2006 but we stayed at ASMo. It was nice but the Christmas theme was a bit too much for me. I don't mind the decorations but once I saw that they changed the Jammin' in the Jungle Parade, I had had enough! lol If I wanted to be immersed in Christmas I would have stayed home with crazy Italian family!

Take care and I hope the job situation works out for you the way you want.

thanks! me too!

BTW - I can't make myself take down my ticker until I can put up a new one.
Hopefully a trip Jun 2011.

I don't blame you! I never want to take mine down either but watching my trip get further and further away just makes it worse!