Plannning a trip for January!

[3dog2kidmom]

Fast forward a couple of months. The SR cruise is over and I can now obsess some more about our January trip. I happen to read on the DIS that Disney is about to release the most spectacular deal in over 8 years: travel in the first half of 2009 and buy 4 days, get 3 free plus a $200 gift card. WHAT!?!? I am going in the first half, but I cannot extend due to school and work schedules. Plus I've already booked air (thru Disney). Too bad for me But I can't stop thinking about this fabulous deal and wondering what it would be like to actually spend an ENTIRE WEEK at Disney World! Maybe we could go over spring break instead?? Hmmmmm.....

And so I did it. I called the AAA agent who booked my package for a quote. Just to see. It would be too much I am sure. Or they would have our spring break dates blacked out from the deal. Meanwhile I worked up the numbers on the Disney site, downgrading from AKL to CBR to help make up the difference because I expected an airline change fee and I'd lose my AAA discount and also since March is peak season. Played around with airfares on AA's site to get an idea of cost and ran the idea by DH. Of course he loves Disney and usually is all "whatever you want is fine by me" so I knew it would be up to me. At first though he didn't want to do it because he really wanted to stay at AKL so wasn't onboard with changing to a mod. And who knows what will happen with his job. But see what the agent says.

So she calls me back yesterday morning with the best news... Disney IS NOT GOING TO CHARGE ME A CHANGE FEE on my air! I can't believe it. I guess that's what the "partially refundable" meant on the website, but whatever - I told her to change it on the spot. And the best part is I reworked our numbers (need to borrow from the 2010 cruise fund a little) and we are still going to stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge!!

The room works out to $167 a night (it's regularly $355/$375 in peak season at AKL) -- and going to WDW for 8 glorious days!!! The kids still have to miss 2 days of school after spring break so we could get affordable flights (to go weekend to weekend was going to be over $1200 MORE than we paid), but it's all good

So this morning I took the time to redo all my ADRs and here are our plans at the moment:

Tuesday
Arrive 11:30, check in, get settled
Go to Downtown Disney and have late lunch/early dinner at T-Rex

Wednesday
Magic Kingdom
Dinner at 'Ohana

Thursday
Hollywood Studios
Fantasmic package @ Hollywood & Vine

Friday
Epcot
Dinner at Marrakesh (possibly changing to Nine Dragons and will do CS lunch at Marrakesh instead)

Saturday
Open -- either rent a car for the day and go in search of a beach, or go visit SIL, or stay around the resort and just hang out.
Late dinner at Jiko - just us adults. I'll get room service for the kids and let them watch a movie or something since we'll be at the same hotel and a quick phone call away (or maybe SIL will want to take them somewhere - we'll see!)

Sunday
Magic Kingdom
Early breakfast at Crystal Palace

Monday
Animal Kingdom
Dinner at Boma

Tuesday
Epcot (morning EMH)
and we have a late flight home at around 7p

---

Whoo hoo! I still can't imagine what it will be like to have so much time at Disney World!! Will we actually be able to do it all this time??

Oh, and I just saw that Flower & Garden starts on 3/18 so we'll catch that too!

[fourfoxesinpa]

YAY SHELLY!!!



I am trying to get my sister's family to book starting 3/26...I just figured out our package at POP after the gift card is only $689 because we don't need tix. I hope she goes. I've already booked POFQ for us in June but, if it's this affordable, I'll keep both ressies (both DON'T tell DH just yet! SHHHH!) Gotta see if that stimulus package comes through. I mean, we have to do the patriotic thing and spend this next one after being responsible with the first one. We bought 1 oversized window. Criminey - what fun was that?!?!?

[3dog2kidmom]

YAY SHELLY!!!



I am trying to get my sister's family to book starting 3/26...I just figured out our package at POP after the gift card is only $689 because we don't need tix. I hope she goes. I've already booked POFQ for us in June but, if it's this affordable, I'll keep both ressies (both DON'T tell DH just yet! SHHHH!) Gotta see if that stimulus package comes through. I mean, we have to do the patriotic thing and spend this next one after being responsible with the first one. We bought 1 oversized window. Criminey - what fun was that?!?!?

That's an awesome price! I wish we didn't have to fly and that would save so much. But it's too far for us.

So my head must be burried in the sand but is there possibly another stimulus coming? That would be awesome!! I refuse to be responsible with "found" money, lol! Well, I am paying off a chunk of bills with my bonus, but still most of the found money goes to vacations that we wouldn't take otherwise.

[fourfoxesinpa]

Well, we have to fly but I didn't include that. That's not part of the Disney Budgeting Method. Plus, we COULD drive from PA for the June trip, but I'd really hate doing so. Two days down and two back for not enough $ savings, when you factor in a hotel, food along the way, wear and tear, tolls, gas, etc.

To Quote the New York Times:

Mr. Obama called on Congress and the Bush administration to pass an economic stimulus package. If an agreement cannot be reached this month in the lame-duck Congressional session, he said, it will be his chief goal when he takes office on Jan. 20.


Other members in Congress have been mentioning it too, so it seems more likely to me than not, that we'll see more $ which I will happily spend in Disney this go-round.

[3dog2kidmom]

Other members in Congress have been mentioning it too, so it seems more likely to me than not, that we'll see more $ which I will happily spend in Disney this go-round.

Thanks for the recap! I'll sure be happy to do my patriotic duty and spend it!

Anyway, our air is so high (usually ~$1200 from STL to MCO) that I have to budget it