Tomi-Rocket

:ROFLOL: According to Ron Howard, the cornballer isn't legal anywhere...but when I inquired I was shown burnmarks. :lookaroun

Via Napoli was good...in Jersey we're spoiled with real pizza but VN didn't do a half-bad job. It may have been overpriced but the rest of my family thought it was delicious and very much worth it (I tend to be a tad cynical). Between the three of us ( a personal margherita and a large pepperoni) we finushed all of it (barely) and were quite full.

Phone battery is dying...I'll finish tomorrow. :wave:

I don't know!!! LOL I'm tryiing to work numbers in my head and I can't figure it out!! lmao!! Guess if and when it happens (big IF but usually does) I'll call and find out....By what I'm running in my mind.....I can upgrade to POFQ AND still save about $100 off my original reservation I'm paying on now....but I may be wrong....I'm not quite sure how the tickets and such when it's a package work into the equation - so i'll just call and have them figure it out! ha ha !

Yes I'm hoping it does carry thru next 9/2011 because that helps you out too! Yeah!

have to share the below - look! This is speculation but usually happens....look!!! speculated discounts hitting the ground running this monday......

First discount is an extension of free dining, through September 2011. This comes with a considerable number of blackout dates, including Spring Break, Easter and most of Summer 2011.
Second discount is some kind of gift card offer, with a 5- or 6-night minimum stay. We hear sales of park merchandise are slow, and this is designed to address that. No idea how long this offer will last.
Third offer is a room-only discount, something like 20 or 25% off value resorts (and either AKL or WL – not sure which), 30% off moderates (and one of the MK deluxe resorts), and 40% off the remaining deluxes. We hear there are fewer blackout dates on this one. Not sure of how long this offer will last, but it’s possible it’s good only through March 2011.
Good luck to those of you who’ve booked and may qualify for a discount.

Indeed, we are! The weather is not as hot as feared...and the only element we're battling now is exhaustion (specifically the kind at 1am at the Magic Kingdom...standing on a packed bus for 20 minutes!). We're trying out Via Napoli today and are pretty excited.

We also did our traditional "let's-find-a-way-to-get-back-to-WDW-ASAP-while-we're-not-even-halfway-through-our-current-vacation" discussion and we're already thinking about in 2011 staying at the Contemporary. (We had previously considered seeing the Grand Canyon, but in latee-August that just might be pushing it. Also, some of us may be going to Italy (the real one), and we may want to try something less adventurous on our vacation with this family.

Thanks! We just hit the Studios and are off to Epcot now. Tomorrow is supposed to be a scorcher!

Thank you so much!

I haven't even thought about eating at the Cali. Grill to see the fireworks! I wonder if it's one of those "impossible" reservations to get like CRT? I just called a few minutes ago to put in a bldg. request and while I had Scott on the phone he was able to tell me my 180 date for when I can make all our dining reservations! WooHoo! Look out 3/21/11!

Wow, only 100 days? That is sooo exciting! My DH finds me unbearable in my love/devotion/excitement for WDW, so you don't have anything to worry about. LOL.....

Oh goodness no prob at all! I'll grab you what I can while I am there! LOL OH the DDP is awesome for you because there are 4 of you...just me and Linds hard to justify spending the money. that's why we hope it comes as a freebie (but I'd still rather the room discount! LOL) We share too at certain restaurants...nobody ever blinks and it saves tons of money! Nope have never eaten at the Cali Grill before - at this point I don't even care about the food - I'm psyched for fireworks and music being streamed in and watching it all from the 15th floor outside viewing area LOL

Woo hoo!!! 100 days from today! Look out...I warned you. tomorrow is the double digit countdown and it's at this point where I become unbearable LOL!!!

Ugh work today...I swear I'm on my 4th Monday in a row ha ha!

Well I don't scrapbook either but you wouldn't be putting me out IF you wanted brochures or whatever to see what is showing and such...new things....times and such. Honestly NOT putting me out! LOL We hit that kiosk each time we enter the park - up to you of course though

NOT eating at LeCellier...wayyyy to expensive. Would be one thing if I had the DDP but without it....nah. We usually do one sort of expensive meal a day to try it out...Like Sunday is Coral Reef, Tuesday is California Grill at the Contemporary, Wed is well nothing - it's a day off from TS meals LOL Thursday dinner at Biergarten and Friday 50's PT Cafe..then of course the morning we leave to come back Cinderella's Table but I've already paid for that...actually I think I sent you this list a long time ago and I'm officially having a blonde moment! Which I can do because I'm blonde! LOL

Thanks very much! We'll keep your family in prayer as well. (And I will be having internet access throughout my trip, including during those nasty queue lines...thank goodness for those new-fangled internet phones!)

I will ask around, as we know quite a few people i n both the main building and hangar, and a few people retired recently. It really is a Small World, isn't it?

How is SC? I've had a few friends visit there (Hilton Head, Myrtle Beach) and I'm interested in hearing about it. I like taking pictures of unique angles and sunsets, but that's about it. I also take "reference" shots but those aren't artsy. :lol:

Is it just me or is it easier to read things on hard copies and not computer screens? I'm not pleased with the onset of the digital age.

a year goes fast so no worries! I can grab brochures to pop in the mail to you while I'm down there if you want..do you do scrapbooking (not me - no patience LOL) or put stuff together for the kids but I don't mind grabbing what I can that's laying around. I can pop them in the mail to you when I get back - my menu planning takes forever!!! Linds is picky .BUT this time around I kinda went with "I'm going there darnit" & we'll figure it out once we get to the restaurant lol she always finds something to eat so not too worried. No signature dining here--do character breakfasts or dinners count? Nah don't think so...places like LaCellier I think. maybe the Castle is one? I don't know - all I know is I had to prepay $99 BUT you get all 5 princesses--.a complete photo package (4 or 5 photos come with it) & a prezzie of some sort for Linds..am psyched! Boards are funny tonight. Did Disney or did Disney not lose money - go look at 3rd qutr thread - the fight is on & I have popcorn

That is too funny - Space Mountain wasn't open when we went in 08 either so that is why we had to do Hall of Presidents AND Space Mountain last year!!! LOL I think Space Mtn freaked linds a bit out (lol) way too dark and eerie...but she says she wants to go on it again so maybe not! Hall Of Pres AFTER the refurb...I hadn't seen it since the early 70's and the fact that I got to see again after so long and wish Linds made it even more special. It left me awe struck!

So - when are you going? You need to book it so I can help you live gratuitously through...well you!!! LMAO!!! Alot of my Disney fun comes in the planning - LOVE it! Finding the restaurants or shows we haven't done...like next year (well crap....I didn't even get down there this before changing my mind to go again next year lol) I want to do the Aloha Luau dinner show...and I think that barn show (hoop dee doo??) because everyone raves about it! Corny yep - but great show!

Coincidentally, we have a family member who worked at the Tech Center as well. After retiring from the USAF, he got a job at NAFEC (now the Tech Center) and worked there for many, many years and just retired a few years ago from being director of the hangar there. The size of that building is truly immense, and that whole complex really is something (I believe the Federal Air Marshalls train there.)

Part of my family is still spooked by the kitschy 70's decor that they saw there, and though they refurbished it, they still don't have much interest to stay there. We stayed at the Poly in '05 and loved it, but it was not my favorite, though I believe other circumstances kept me from enjoying it fully.

I only have a point and shoot camera (for now) but I like to photograph things as if I'd never see that place again. I take pictures of crates, Main Street windows, etc. so it's not necessarily anything too artsy.

Thanks!

Hi Tomi - you have until the 45 day mark prior to leaving to pay. You can pay off as little or as much as you want on a weekly or monthly basis. If you purchase a package (tickets AND room on property of course LOL) you have to put down a $200 deposit.....I've had mine on my rezzie for about 5 months now without making any other payments (of course now I'm under the gun lol) but yep until 45 days out....no problems you can do it! Yeah we pretty much seem to keep coming back for more but for different reasons....like in 08 we HAD to come back 09 because Hall of Presidents was closed at our time in 08 for refurb....plus they add news things to see or do and experiences and such...so always an excuse!!! LOL

Under or around $10 for the ornaments? I'm obviously looking in the totally wrong place! LOL Need to go on the hunt this year then....

Can you believe it's still this hot? I mean really - give us a break! ha ha!

That's how we feel about hotels, too. We've stayed at the Grand Floridian and Beach Club (my favorite) twice, and (unfortunately), won't be staying there for a long time. After all, I want to check out the Contemporary (my family doesn't, unfortunately), but if it wasn't DAKL, we'd stay at the Wilderness Lodge. But this trip, I think I'll take some time and explore the Magic Kingdom hotels.

The trick is how to transport all of the guidemaps and paper paraphernalia from the parks and home without being bent. I believe I devised a cunning scheme to do so (folding a manila file folder) and I can't wait to see if it works.

That's only a year away, you have all reason to be excited! (Heck, I was excited for my next trip the day we left, two years ago.) I can't tell you how excited we are. Right now it's a bit of a rush to get things packed and cleaned, bt we're definitely looking forward to it. We're flying out of Atlantic City (cheaper flights, plus family can watch some of our dogs) at an astounding 6:30 in the morning, but early flights are acceptable when flying to WDW.

Right now, the one worry I have is that the 16GB memory card I ordered will be at my house by tomorrow. I ordered it from Hong Kong around nine days ago, and I sure hope it comes in time! When we spent a week in California last year, I took upwards of 2,000 photographs over several memory cards. I'm trying to beat my record this time around.

Part 2...

Indeed they were lucky! Fortunately for me, they had no use for their folder filled with resort maps and announcements, and along with guidemaps, were kindly given to me.

I couldn't think of a better place to honeymoon than the Grand Floridian (well, maybe the Polynesian, but that's close.) We've stayed there twice, too- in 2000 and then in 2007. (At Conch Key then Sugar Loaf Key.) My family didn't fall in love with it like I did (citing it being too high-strung and fancy), but I thought it was a great balance...it's pure magic! (And I do believe we're being spoiled quite a bit!)

Woohoo! :sohappy: Congratulations! When are you going to go?

:lol: Yes, McDonalds definitely needs some when it comes to employees. But then again, I can't blame them for having a disdainful attitude about working there...it doesn't really seem fun! It's a guilty pleasure, but I love my McDonalds. Nothing says deliciousness like a Big Mac or double quarter pounder! :slurp:

Thanks! Yeah I'm psyched (Dork that I am lol) - so when did you book for? I'm excited for you too! LOL That will be great once you get to go again....if I didn't go each year I think i'd go beserk...BUT saying that, I'm actually looking at doing a non disney vaca next year....if i can find a good travel agent (and it might actually be a disney type of "other" trip LOL) maybe a cruise (sooo expensive!!!!!!!) or a trip to Hawaii (of course no Disney because I am not DVC member) anyways, just stuff i'm bouncing in my head...after my trip this year am sure I'll be back to normal HA! OH the ornaments...I LOVE them! They are all so beautiful but most I see the price tag on and go YIKES! lol

We are also very fortunate to have no experience with bad service at WDW (either that or we're extremely naive...). Where did u stay at the GF? We've been lucky enough to stay there twice. Heck, a friend of mine was going to stay at All Stars, but since that was booked, they got the GF at no extra charge! Talk about a lucky break!

It's very interesting to hear how others save and plan for their trips. Every family is different and I'm glad I'm getting to hear other families' POVs.

Sometimes I wonder about the Golden Arches...how can they consistently get their orders wrong? And how does poor quality food taste so darned good?! (Regardless, I'm glad to hear they've left the parks for good.)

I WON the GPS so happy-I do have things I buy every time I go-since this is our 3rd year in a row the 2 things I buy 4 MYSELF are the new coffee MM mug - $12 & I always always get a Hanes Disney T from the resort. They last forever! My fave from 2 years ago is a purple one w/ sorcerer Mickey in front of the castle-last years is pretty cool--black & white with comic book mickey & on the bottom left side is a 15" tall Mickey Mouse in color - they cost about $22 but worth every penny--they last & stay in GREAT condition. The roommate gets a shot glass & something Figment-- Linds doesn't really ask 4 much but we always get her a couple charms for her bracelet (LOVE the charm mounds) those huge mickey mouse head jawbreakers- big plastic popcorn buckets & whatever else she wants pretty much within reason. We only do one big vacation a year so we kind of just go for it! LOL You???