I love credit cards so much! v2.0 (see first page for add'l details)

[Alexle2007]

Had two new (to me) Amex offers: 10% off department stores up to $20 and 10% of home improvement stores up to $20.

Good morning, early bird!

 

[havaneselover]

Good morning, early bird!

I slept in today since I wasn't carpooling to work

 

[Alice Sr.]

TGIF question:
Do you have travel plans in 2020? If so, to where?

What about farther out-2021 and beyond?

For me:

Feb/Mar-Viking Australia/NZ cruise

July-Scotland, Slovenia and Croatia bday trip

August-DH's Baltic cruise bday trip

Oct-quick Bahamas cruise for DM bday (also her grand slam cruise)

Sadly, nothing planned yet for 2021 or beyond-I suspect we might book another Viking (ocean) cruise in Feb if we enjoy our experience.

Croatia and the Baltic are on my radar but not my schedule Your list is depressing me but in a good motivational way

Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar - WDW and vaca house (air and DVC booked)
Last week in Mar - DVB cottage family trip (air for all 9 of us on pnts and DVC cottage booked)
Summer - no planned trips will be running back and forth to IL and various family get togethers
Labor Day - vaca house
Oct - WDW family trip

 

[wendow]

I have found return saver flights home from SYD in United Biz. Yay! Now I just to decide, do we Stop in DEN or HOU on our way home? The DEN flight gets in an hour earlier and has 2 1/2 hours to get us through customs (flight arrives at 6 am so hopefully it wouldn’t be too crazy.) It’s in late Aug so hopefully no weather concerns. Thoughts?

Less weather concerns in DEN during Aug. Tends to be a pretty dry and boring month for us, weather wise. Houston in Aug can be a hurricane or just torrential rain.

 

[disneybirds]

Anyone ever had to wait 'SB' for the CP Epcot show? We've tried so hard to get a meal for 7 that would give us guaranteed seating for the show. I called (again) on Saturday and this time I called DVC MS. The CM was so nice but said everything is booked 100% solid for that day for the two shows my dd is performing in. I've tried for so long that I'm just tired. The CM said it's cause Gary Sinese is the narrator. He's one of their more popular ones and it's a Saturday night. I will hold our reservation for 4 for as long as we can but if we cannot get the other three a seat somewhere, I will need to cancel. And then we are lining up with the masses. Just wondering how likely that is that we can actually get a seat??

So sorry to hear about the lack of reservations. We have done standby 3 or 4 times and always gotten a seat, but we have not seen Gary Sinise. We have seen Jodi Bensen, Stephen Curtis Chapman, Chandra Wilson, and Ava Gasteyer. We typically get in line right as they start the 6:45 show and see the 8:00 show. You can always stand at the back near the ropes. Best of luck!!

 

[Judique]

@DisneyMandC - just thought I'd mention that there is $15 for parking charge at the Fenway. Also, I had dinner there as well as breakfast and ran up a bill of $108 which included the parking. Just looked at my Brilliant and Marriott activity and this got me 2780 Marriott points. I had a decent chicken dinner and then I had shrimp and grits at breakfast. There were only 3 large shrimp so I thought the dish was kind of skimpy, but over all the price was pretty good - I think it was about $13. Then my Brilliant credit erased the charge. Even though it's really my own money - I pay the $450 annual fee after all - I somehow love that credit idea. Makes it easier to spend the money however I feel at the time. Similar to that $300 CSR credit.

I'm seriously considering a 2 night stay here in February after my Feb 11 Moonlight Magic - DVC perk at AKL. I'm also going to sign up for max people for that, in the event someone from home comes along. Right now my extended family doesn't arrive at their home in Reunion until that weekend, so I'll probably end up with extra spots for Moonlight at AK. I don't check into BWV until the 14th, but I'm at BLT on the 11th, unless my holding points get me another night there on the 12th, but that can't happen until after I'm 60 days out.

 

[WVMomof3]

I am happy to report not getting Bonvoyed! I have a 7 night reservation upcoming to use my 7 night certificate. For some reason when I made the reservation I thought the cert was attached. I realized about a month ago it was not. And some of the nights had gone up for peak pricing. I asked my DH to call since it is in his name, but he has been out of town so much that it kept getting put off. Last night I used the chat feature online. Asked if they could attach my cert and refund the points. And they did! Yay! After all the recent talk about not being able to use free nights after the points went up I really thought we would be SOL. Happy to use up my 7 night cert.

 

[wendow]

So sorry to hear about the lack of reservations. We have done standby 3 or 4 times and always gotten a seat, but we have not seen Gary Sinise. We have seen Jodi Bensen, Stephen Curtis Chapman, Chandra Wilson, and Ava Gasteyer. We typically get in line right as they start the 6:45 show and see the 8:00 show. You can always stand at the back near the ropes. Best of luck!!

I’ll have grandparents in tow and I’m not sure my mom can stand the whole show but your post gives me hope we will get a seat. Thanks for the encouragement! Where do we go to line up?

 

[wendow]

I am happy to report not getting Bonvoyed! I have a 7 night reservation upcoming to use my 7 night certificate. For some reason when I made the reservation I thought the cert was attached. I realized about a month ago it was not. And some of the nights had gone up for peak pricing. I asked my DH to call since it is in his name, but he has been out of town so much that it kept getting put off. Last night I used the chat feature online. Asked if they could attach my cert and refund the points. And they did! Yay! After all the recent talk about not being able to use free nights after the points went up I really thought we would be SOL. Happy to use up my 7 night cert.

That’s great news! Where are you using it? Still hunting down a use for ours.

 

[Judique]

Anyone ever had to wait 'SB' for the CP Epcot show? We've tried so hard to get a meal for 7 that would give us guaranteed seating for the show. I called (again) on Saturday and this time I called DVC MS. The CM was so nice but said everything is booked 100% solid for that day for the two shows my dd is performing in. I've tried for so long that I'm just tired. The CM said it's cause Gary Sinese is the narrator. He's one of their more popular ones and it's a Saturday night. I will hold our reservation for 4 for as long as we can but if we cannot get the other three a seat somewhere, I will need to cancel. And then we are lining up with the masses. Just wondering how likely that is that we can actually get a seat??

I wouldn't cancel. I would do the four and have 3 do the standby line, but in order to get the standby seat, you need to be in line early. Then I would chat up the CM about your daughter and the 3 in standby. Which restaurant did you get? Try to find a corresponding 'regular' reservation for the other 3 and show up together - sometimes you may get lucky and at the least you might eat near each other. When I went they gave us a big tag to wear to identify us at the show.

My experience with this type of reservation is they save a certain number of rows up front for the reservations - maybe 3-4 and they keep them open until show starts. Also, I've seen Gary Sinese, Whoopi and a few others and the CP is a very moving experience. I wouldn't give up the opportunity to have 4 people up front, especially with your daughter as part of it. And I'd probably get seats for the adults and have the 3 kids wait it out in line. You will want to snap a few pics of your daughter and those up front seats will be best.

 

[DisneyMandC]

@DisneyMandC - just thought I'd mention that there is $15 for parking charge at the Fenway. Also, I had dinner there as well as breakfast and ran up a bill of $108 which included the parking. Just looked at my Brilliant and Marriott activity and this got me 2780 Marriott points. I had a decent chicken dinner and then I had shrimp and grits at breakfast. There were only 3 large shrimp so I thought the dish was kind of skimpy, but over all the price was pretty good - I think it was about $13. Then my Brilliant credit erased the charge. Even though it's really my own money - I pay the $450 annual fee after all - I somehow love that credit idea. Makes it easier to spend the money however I feel at the time. Similar to that $300 CSR credit.

I'm seriously considering a 2 night stay here in February after my Feb 11 Moonlight Magic - DVC perk at AKL. I'm also going to sign up for max people for that, in the event someone from home comes along. Right now my extended family doesn't arrive at their home in Reunion until that weekend, so I'll probably end up with extra spots for Moonlight at AK. I don't check into BWV until the 14th, but I'm at BLT on the 11th, unless my holding points get me another night there on the 12th, but that can't happen until after I'm 60 days out.

Thanks! I do recall seeing about the parking charges. I doubt we will eat there since we'll probably try to find something local for dinner and then breakfast will probably be on the road as we head to BG

 

[Judique]

I am happy to report not getting Bonvoyed! I have a 7 night reservation upcoming to use my 7 night certificate. For some reason when I made the reservation I thought the cert was attached. I realized about a month ago it was not. And some of the nights had gone up for peak pricing. I asked my DH to call since it is in his name, but he has been out of town so much that it kept getting put off. Last night I used the chat feature online. Asked if they could attach my cert and refund the points. And they did! Yay! After all the recent talk about not being able to use free nights after the points went up I really thought we would be SOL. Happy to use up my 7 night cert.

Do you mind telling us where you are using it? Daughter also has one and we picked out a new hotel and looks like it's not going to open on time to use for spring break. I spent a lot of yesterday searching for a hotel that would be okay. Right now I'm down to looking at a Fairfield Inn - so I'm getting desperate!

 

[Judique]

Thanks! I do recall seeing about the parking charges. I doubt we will eat there since we'll probably try to find something local for dinner and then breakfast will probably be on the road as we head to BG

Oh right - forgot you were going to Busch Gardens - and also keep forgetting I have one of those tickets. I didn't do any restaurant research on Dunedin but I had already planned on eating in. The coffee was ready in the lobby really early though - I love that!

 

[tink1970]

Also, I was thinking about what I said about the Great Barrier Reef, and although I didn’t mean to be rude I hope it didn’t come off as judgemental! I certainly don’t expect everyone to believe the same as me, but I’m not sure if I made that clear enough

Not directed at me but I didn't read it that way at all...both time and environmental concerns result in my not going to the GBR on our trip in Feb. In the future? Perhaps, if it regenerates enough that I don't feel guilty, lol. Also, I'm one of those who won't swim with dolphins so I'm kind of a weirdo

 

[Lain]

@Lain Just tagging you since its on your older post. Just wondering if that still codes as 5% on the CIC via PayPal.

No, Gyft no longer codes 5x via PayPal on the CIC. That died at the end of July.

 

[Judique]

That’s great news! Where are you using it? Still hunting down a use for ours.

There are quite a few places to actually use the certificate. The problem I have is committing to a hotel for points that I normally would be happy at for one night, while traveling, but wouldn't necessarily pick for a vacation. The certificate is my daughters, but she's given me the 'job' and it has to be her March break, so that's why I'm so interested. I want at least semi warm - no snow so no northeast, although I had also told her no Florida. Now I'm rethinking that and looking at the Florida coasts - the others won't have Disney passes at that time.

And, I've also booked 4 nights at Disney's Hilton Head as a back up plan for part of that week. I need to go in and do another night or two at the Westin as well. My DVC reservation trail consists of book, cancel, book, cancel and on and on, lol.

 

[wendow]

I wouldn't cancel. I would do the four and have 3 do the standby line, but in order to get the standby seat, you need to be in line early. Then I would chat up the CM about your daughter and the 3 in standby. Which restaurant did you get? Try to find a corresponding 'regular' reservation for the other 3 and show up together - sometimes you may get lucky and at the least you might eat near each other. When I went they gave us a big tag to wear to identify us at the show.

My experience with this type of reservation is they save a certain number of rows up front for the reservations - maybe 3-4 and they keep them open until show starts. Also, I've seen Gary Sinese, Whoopi and a few others and the CP is a very moving experience. I wouldn't give up the opportunity to have 4 people up front, especially with your daughter as part of it. And I'd probably get seats for the adults and have the 3 kids wait it out in line. You will want to snap a few pics of your daughter and those up front seats will be best.

I’m considering that option as well. With the 4 seats, I can have dh, my parents and myself with seats. Then have dd19 wait it out with my boys. But I definitely need to be able to get a dining reservation for all. We don’t have to sit together for the meal. We have the reservation for 4 at Ale and Compass for breakfast.
We’ve never seen the CP. It’s something I’ve wanted to see for a long time so I’m super excited!!! Just wish we’d known way back that her choir was going so we could have booked earlier.

 

[wendow]

There are quite a few places to actually use the certificate. The problem I have is committing to a hotel for points that I normally would be happy at for one night, while traveling, but wouldn't necessarily pick for a vacation. The certificate is my daughters, but she's given me the 'job' and it has to be her March break, so that's why I'm so interested. I want at least semi warm - no snow so no northeast, although I had also told her no Florida. Now I'm rethinking that and looking at the Florida coasts - the others won't have Disney passes at that time.

And, I've also booked 4 nights at Disney's Hilton Head as a back up plan for part of that week. I need to go in and do another night or two at the Westin as well. My DVC reservation trail consists of book, cancel, book, cancel and on and on, lol.

I mostly find the places that are, like you say, some place you’d be fine stopping at for the night but not necessarily staying at for a vacation.
@disneymagicgirl had found a couple options in the FL panhandle. Those are still on my radar but I’m interested in where others are using theirs.

 

[WVMomof3]

That’s great news! Where are you using it? Still hunting down a use for ours.

Do you mind telling us where you are using it? Daughter also has one and we picked out a new hotel and looks like it's not going to open on time to use for spring break. I spent a lot of yesterday searching for a hotel that would be okay. Right now I'm down to looking at a Fairfield Inn - so I'm getting desperate!

We are using it in Tampa during Christmas break. We will use our Busch Garden tickets and will do a swim/kayak with the manatees in Crystal River. Not sure what else we will do. I booked with a new hotel, The Current. It was the only one I could find that claimed to sleep 5. But it is so new I don't see many pictures. They show a king room and the sofa they show does not look like it will be comfortable for anyone to sleep on. Should be a fun week battling for a bed. I think our times of 1 room are over.

 

[alryan]

Wait...267k is for 1 night? That’s not a standard award, which is what you need for the free night. These high value ones tend to go fast. You’ll probably need to book close to release. I could have made the Waldorf Beverly Hills work with existing plans, but all out of standard awards by the time I got my free night.

Thanks, I thought that might be the case when the cheapest room had a fireplace. I'm new to these free nights. I see when I booked out as far as they can go there still wasn't standard rooms available.