Be an angel or demon on my shoulder
 

So, I'm starting to get the Disney itch again. But we've been a lot (for us) lately and we're not really in the money at the moment. On the one hand, I should be a responsible citizen, pay off my bills, and save my Disney dreams for another day. On the other hand, I really really wanna fix and once I graduate and start working vacations might be few and far between, so hey, if I'm staring off into space at work and mentally all five senses are pretending I'm on a stroll through downtown Disney at dusk, listening to the music and people, watching the lights and fountains, anticipating a dinner at the Napa Rose, I should plan a vacation.

Angel? Demon? Which should it be?

DUH!

ummm...You are amongst fellow DLR lovers...what did you think was gonna happen?

What she said.:evil:

Grad present to yourself, dear.

I cast what will probably be the sole "Save Money" vote, though I truly wanted to vote for Disney.

You KNOW you're gonna get an AP - just accept it. Think of it as an investment that SAVES you money. You need to get away once in a while to maintain you sanity. Going to a movie costs $20 ($10 for the ticket and $10 for the obligatory popcorn and soda). You will need an escape more than once per month, so figure over $240 for those movies. A Deluxe AP is only $229. Right there you have SAVED money! So you can satify the itch AND be frugal, all at the same time!

Or you can choose between ointment and suppositories for the itch.

You are preaching to the choir

Well, I don't graduate for another year (well, 16 months), but I'm planning on milking that excuse for all it's worth because this might finally be the last time I do this whole school thing.

I voted for save some money - but probably because I'm in a saving drive for my Japan 2007 trip :)

:evil:

Dear, you know where you are posting, is there even one angel among us?

You've already slipped to the darkside, and for that, you have my blessing

The park awaits you.

I'm getting the itch myself.

When's Gay Day weekend and will the park be decked out for Halloween by then?

Well it's not like I was seriously hoping anyone would try to talk me out of it...

I'm trying to talk my folks into coming down. One of my minor goals in life is to get my mom onto TOT. Now, I know that the DS version is about a gazmillion times better, but that's unlikely as long as my mom's parents live in Orlando. My mom feels obligated to be Good Daughter and relieve my aunt as caregiver whenever she's down there, so she doesn't get to play very much. Oooh! And new Space Mountain! She'll scream the whole time! :evil:

But there are so many questions. Where to stay this time if we go? Save funds with the HoJo? Try the Disneyland Hotel since I haven't done that since I was a kid and there was still a hotel station platform thing that lingers as a vague image in my mind? GC because we're used to it?

Don't you DARE come down that weekend. We won't be there!

You will SAVE money by going to Disneyland. Cause let's face it, you'll be going to Disney soon anyways.

Disneyland doesn't have earrings to match your pearl necklace. And the food isn't nearly as good. See? I just saved you hundreds of dollars.

Go to Disneyland.

Why not do a cross between the two options? Stay at HoJo, make your own breakfast, fly coach, etc. There are so many ways to cut corners on a DL trip and still have a fantastic time. Heck, when Michael and I were first married we were so desperate for DL, yet also so poor, that we wouldn't stay in a hotel at all. We had annual passes, so we would drive all night on Saturday, go to the park all day Sunday, then drive back Sunday night. We used $45 for gas and $25 for food (we shared). Some of our best times at DL were on a very tight budget. I don't even want to calculate what our combined incomes were that year because it would be so frightening, but we went to DL 13 times that year! Go, save money, you can do both!

So now that that's settled, when are you coming to DL ?

What is this "coach" flying you speak of?:p (Although come to think of it, I think we have enough miles to upgrade.)

We generally cut one meal a day anyhow -- usually breakfast, but sometimes lunch if we get a craving for oscar's scramble. I don't know if we could give up Napa Rose, though.

I think we'd have to visit the first week of January again. It's either that or the weekend of December 16th and, as much as I love Disneyland on my birthday, it's probably too crowded then.

Who gave Prudence a pearl necklace?


And when's Gay Day weekend?

October 6-8 Funny how I knew that, huh?

Does it make me sound too much like a Lisa-stalker if I say that makes me feel a little better about not being able to come?

Yeah, funny.

I was afraid that it would be on the only weekend in October that we already had plans and I was right. I promised MickeyLumbo that we'd attend Gay Day sometime and I was hoping this would be the year.

We still want to see the Halloween overlay so maybe we'll be able to swing a trip some other weekend in October.

Hmmm, so by not being able to go, I also miss the disappointment of not being able to see you, Crystal and the kids?

I might just work myself into a good mood if this keeps going. ;)

This kind of decision can only be made by you. You know your finances, you know your personal preferences regarding save vs. spend.

Signed,

Someone who's working on buying a condo and may let her pass lapse for a bit.

Well a quarter of you aren't invited to the room party! :p

We'll probably find a way. I mean, if we do hojo, it's super cheap compared to "normal" for us. DL hotel would also be manageable.

So, how are the non-Disney hotels? We've never done that and I'm not sure we'll be able to stomach the change this time, but it would certainly help the financials.

Just becasue you're not staying there doesn't mean you can't hang out in the lobby of the Grand Cal

But it's not the same! We'd have to give up the coveted hotel delivery option that always makes us buy more stuff!

Ah, I get it now. You just want enabling. Far be it from me - you must own your own sins. *devil vanishes*

I've stayed at the Best Western Park Inn (or Park whatever it's called) which is RIGHT across the crosswalk from the park. The rooms are all suites and are pretty nice and roomy. It's not he GC or DLH but it outranks the PP IMHO.

Okay - so I'm waffling on all the details. Should I come December 16-20? Or Jan 3-7? In January the airports (and theoretically the parks) are less crowded, but December is more festive. And the 16th is my birthday.

The DL site does list things past November, but the first weekend in January is about the time that iasw and HMH shut down to remove the Holiday overlays. You MAY catch them before the shutdown, but not guaranteed. Same for any Holiday fireworks.

Also, hours are going to be much shorter in January.

Yes, it may be busier in December, but I am a big fan of the Holiday energy to be found at the park.

It's also $300 cheaper to come in December.

Really? How come? (I would have thought January to be cheaper - less demand.

I have no idea. Total shock to me. I was doing a price check on a whim and that was the result.

I have a job and still go sevral times a month to the parks. AND go to the movies as often. I say, skip Napa Rose and go to cheeper food. Save money spending less when you go, that way you get the best of both worlds.

Have fun!

I'm just going to pretend you didn't say that. Skip Napa Rose? no way!


Oh, and the reason it's cheaper in December is a one night free promotion in the hotel. We were going to go to for three nights, but heck, we'll stay the fourth now.


I'm not committed enough yet to buy nonrefundable airfare, but has anyone had experience with "low price guarantees"? Alaska says they'll match any online price, and Travelocity is about $60 cheaper right now than Alaska for the same flights. You have to buy from Alaska first, then call the special phone number and they're verify and refund the difference. Of course, I immediately wonder if that's the special phone number that's only staffed every second thursday of months beginning with "L".

Call the number and ask how it works first. They're probably hoping that people will just book first and then forget to call to ask for the discount. Who knows--maybe you'll get someone nice on the phone who will book for you.

At least, it can't hurt to ask.

Oh sure, be all logical and stuff.

We stayed at the Park Place Inn, and it was fine. Truth be told, I prefer the Sheraton (even if you do have to shuttle it) but the Inn was good as well. The location was extremely convenient. If I stay there again, I'm bringing light bulbs- the rooms are really dark, and I swear they use 10 watt bulbs.

Not that it isn't worth it, but going to something cheeper will save money. Frankly, due to my wife being disabled and out of work for several years, and my recently been disabled for a few months and recently back to work, I haven't been able to check out the Napa Rose, Hooks Point, or Granvilles. I just can't aford it right now. I can't wait to try them! But I don't stay away from the parks on a lower budget either.

Are they still charging the electric surcharge? If not, perhaps the low wattage is why....

And staying home would save lots of money. No point in going if we don't do the things that make a visit fun for us.

Poll schmoll. Plane tickets purchased, hotel reserved, time off confirmed, we'll be there December 16-20. We should be in quite the festive mood, as I'll be down to the 1 year mark. Oh, and the 16th is my birthday. Yay me! Might be too close to the holidays for people to feel inclined toward meet-ness, but we would be interesting in hanging with anyone that wants to hang with us. (Maybe BT won't be distracted by playoffs this time.) I'll try to remember to bump this again closer to the actual time.