~~ Daily Dose of Disney ~~ Photo Intense Pre-trip Report ~~ One Year & Counting!

[Amandaka78]

Love the pictures. I have a pic of my kids dressed up with the troll too. They did resist sticking thier fingers up it's nose but oldest DD and BF couldn't resist doing it to a gorilla in the Tree of Life on the way to see It's Tough to be a Bug. I'd post the pics if I could figure out how.

Happy Planning!

 

[Melora]

In order to post pix you have to have your pictures put somewhere on the web so they have an "address".

Right now I'm using Picassa web albums and it's free.

When you are posting, click on the picture icon at the top of where you write your post and it will ask you the "address" of the picture and you copy and paste it in and voila... posted pix!

 

[JoshAndEvsMom]

Love all your pictures! DH is originally from Thousand Oaks too

 

[Amandaka78]

In order to post pix you have to have your pictures put somewhere on the web so they have an "address".

Right now I'm using Picassa web albums and it's free.

When you are posting, click on the picture icon at the top of where you write your post and it will ask you the "address" of the picture and you copy and paste it in and voila... posted pix!

I guess this will be what makes me load them all on my new laptop, so I can transfer them to shutterfly. This could take a while.

 

[Melora]

So in my bookmarks I have a folder labeled "Disney Trip".

It's got at least 15 different bookmarks that I saved from my last trip and now I am glad that I didn't erase them.

I am still in that stage of feeling like it's too early to really do anything but I am tempted to start sorting through them to see what I found important to save.

A lot of them are just unique sites that I figured I would have trouble finding again, or that I may not think to look up.

I guess the trip will feel real when I actually book the room. I can't do that until I can get a 40% off rate so we can stay at Old Key West.

The hubby is a bit of a resort snob and even though I am sure we would do fine in a family suite, I think he would be unhappy.

Last time we went, I had planned on staying at an All Star Music suite and when I was looking into the amenities etc I discovered things that would really bother him. Such as no covered waiting area at the buses. That right there nixed it for him.
Especially since we are going in the "hotter than the surface of the sun" season.
A little shade goes a long way.

I guess Old Key West just feels like home to us and it would feel sad to stay anywhere else. Though I wouldn't mind trying the one of the villas at one of the lodges (Animal Kingdom or Wilderness).

This was our building from our last trip:

This was across from the bus stop:

And this was the view off our balcony:

 

[Melora]

Looking through my bookmarks I discovered that over half of them are packing lists.... or "what strange item did you bring that you were glad you did" or "what item cant you live without" lists.

A lot of them are discussions from here so I will have to read through them and see if any are worth sharing.

Somewhere I have a master list that I've perfected over the years. Stuff that I know I need to bring. Like finger nail clippers and baggies. Im not entirely sure what I did with that list so I will have to add "find list" to my current to-do list.

Thought we could use a view of the castle this morning.
***SIGH***
I can't wait!

How many times did I just use the word list? Probably too many!!!

 

[Melora]

WOW.. life gets in the way sometimes and before you know it, it's been days since I've been over here nursing my Disney addiction.

I brought my travel trunk in from the garage and found all my trader pins, numerous hand held fans and several "light up spin-y things" that never seem to get taken because I always end up thinking "Are the kids REALLY going to want to carry those things around.. probably not." I think they were better when had a stroller and these could be left if we went on a ride.

4 and half months until I can look into booking airfare!

Yeah, I need to get a life!

I love this picture of the kids.... I cannot tell you how many pictures of pictures they ended up with.

 

[Melora]

I keep checking on airfare just to see what the going rate is from all the way over here on the west coast to ALLLLLLLL the way over there on the east coast.

Delta (who we used to fly every time because of frequent flyer miles from the Russia trips) has come down a lot.

I'm not sure if they would be that much better than Southwest (who I've only used for short hops) but at least there would be a CHANCE that we could get a plane with either personal TVs (the best) or at least monitors to watch a movie.

The best I've been able to come up with is somewhere between $250 and $275. Thats still a lot when you have to buy 5 tickets. We've paid as much as $450 for tickets so the prices right now are looking good...let's hope they stay this low.

And for our Picture of the Day:
As many times as I had been to DHS, this was the very first time we actually found the Singing in the Rain umbrella!

 

[bigsis1970]

So my tentative plans include swooping in at exactly the right time and grabbing a 2 bedroom villa at Old Key West at the 40% off rate.

Usually they offer that in the late summer (or sometimes in the spring when I can't go) and if you can find the promotion before everybody else (and their brother) has, you can score a decent rate.

This means I will have to keep my eyes open at the beginning of the year and just keep looking and have that extra down payment money set aside for a moments notice.

I LOVE Old Key West.. it has the prettiest grounds and just feels like you are on vacation!

OOOH I love OKW tooo - I would stay there everytime if I could
have you been over to the Rent/Trade board - I rent my OKW points from a DVC owner and it usually works out less expensive then a value resort.. Just a sugggestions..

 

[Melora]

We've never rented points before and I feel like I have no idea how to do it.

I may look into it this time though. We are going to be tight on money.

 

[bigsis1970]

We've never rented points before and I feel like I have no idea how to do it.

I may look into it this time though. We are going to be tight on money.

Yes take a look at the Rent/Trade board in the DVC section they have a FAQ but all the times i've done it, it works somthing like this - i ask the member to check my dates and size room i'd like (say Jun 1 - 6 studio) they call and it's open so then they tell me yes it's xx number of point x their set $ amount and if i agree then i say book it (so it's 55 point and cost is $10 each so $550 total) then you make the payment arrangement - sometime its half up front and half 45 days before your trip but it can vary per seller. also you can't talke to the hotel yourself aobut the reservation the owner has to do for you if you have questions or request (as of the last time i rented) its worth a check into ..

 

[Melora]

I would love to pay less!

I will look into it after the first of the year and hopefully money wont be so tight.

It's early in the morning, but its never too early for a brownie sundae right?