The trip with an ulterior motive (Spet 3-10)- PTR About This Page:

[langefamily4]

Originally Posted by MikeL

Great start and need to know did you take a class in Sneaky

Not so much a class but more like several years of learning my lesson

Originally Posted by nalexander

Great start. I'm trying to convince DH to buy into DVC as well, good luck.

to you too!!!

Originally Posted by SherryS

Ditto! I'm about 95% there on convincing him to sign on the dotted line. I'm thinking our December trip may just push him over the edge. I'll definitely be following this thread for ideas!

Hope it works out for you!

Originally Posted by mojjo

I don't see it as an ulterior motive so much as it's a multi-tasking vacation. Your enjoying yourself and educating at the same time.

I like how you think

Originally Posted by Luvsun

Your plans sound great!
with helping your hubby understand the DVC purchase!
It took me two years and lots of spread sheets and research to convince my dh!
But now he is wondering why we waited!

GREAT IDEA!! DH loves spreadsheets and as an engineer he definitely understands numbers....definitely gonna have to try that tactic!

[bsblady01]

I hope that you and your family have a magical time at the world

[ilovedisney247]

I think the best thing to do is price out a week one of the hotels they are currently selling. A random week in October at Animal Kingdom lodge in a regular room is $2900. A two bedrooom Villa at Saratoga Springs for a week in April is $5000. The same week at AKV is $3300 for a savannah view studio. I don't know what type of room you would usually book, but you can easily "pay" for your DVC membership with just a few vacations! I think we met the break even point in just over three years--not to mention the discount on the AP, which gives you the ability to book cheaper rooms if you have to use cash and you can buy a Tables In Wonderland discount card!

[MikeL]

Totally get the idea of trying convincve your other half to go DVC route. My hope is that mine will fall in love with the Bubble almost as much as I do and suggest it for me. Sneaky class lesson 2 Make them think it was their idea in the first place

[jennie622]

sneaky. yes very sneaky. I like it!!!

[OCEANGRLLG]

Great start! That was a great discount that you got!

[queenofheartsfan]

Great start!

[langefamily4]

Originally Posted by MikeL

Totally get the idea of trying convincve your other half to go DVC route. My hope is that mine will fall in love with the Bubble almost as much as I do and suggest it for me. Sneaky class lesson 2 Make them think it was their idea in the first place

absolutely!!!!

[langefamily4]

Now that I am nearing the 60 day mark, my planning really hits high gear. The first thing that I always do is go back thru my dinner reservations and make sure that I am not reconsidering something....and as usual I am. Right now I have a double reservation for 1 night and can't decide which to keep. I would like to decide in the next day or so so that I am not sitting on a ressie that someone else can have. So I need your help! We decided that for this trip we would try out the in house daycare at BC and give ourselves and adults night out. I made a reservation for Victoria and Alberts and then a week or so later I freaked out wondering if it was really worth the cost but yet I wasn't ready to cancel altogether. I searched online and was able to get a ressie at Narcosse as well. So my question to all of you is 1) is V&A really worth the money (I should point out that living in a large city we have tons of fabulous super nice restaurants so I am pretty picky especially for the price of V&A) and 2) If you had to choose which would you pick for the night out and why?

In other related planning/sneaky moves, I received my lithograph in the mail from watching the Samantha Brown Aulani webcast...did anyone else receive theirs?? It is really neat and I am working on flattening it under a book (it came rolled in a tube) so that I can frame it and hang it up. I decided however to use it to my advantage and when DH saw it, I pointed out that DVC sent it. Now granted I didn't tell him that I did something to earn it, but I figure still not a lie since they did in fact send it to us DH thought it was a really picture too......

My other big task this week besides reviewing dinner choices is to start getting a feel for what new clothes everyone will need so I can start watching for sales. Hoping to score some great end of summer clearance sales on shorts and t-shirts.

[OCEANGRLLG]

Hope you can find some great sales on some clothes...I will be lookin for the same this weekend!

[disneygramma]

Love your TR so far. Looking forward to more, especially if/how you can get hubby to buy in to the DVC piece. I am including some information based on our personal experience with DVC that might come in handy for your knowledge base on how DVC can be so great to have..... hope you don't mind how long it is and I hope it may give you some ideas.

Back in 2007 My hubby and I were driving down to Miami for a stay as he "aways" wanted to go there, so I told him that I would be willing to forego a Disney vacation to make his dream come true (LOL). Can you see where this is going? Now he likes Disney just fine, but he says he wants to go other places too, wait for it!........

Anyway, we drove down and I explained that since we were planning to stop for the night in Florida anyway....why not stay at a Disney resort for a night or two and "rest". I promised no parks (which drat I did stick to). He was willing, so I called and got a booking for the POR "mansions" resort for two nights. Had dinner at Boatwrights and enjoyed the resort area for a while that evning. Next day we were going to DTD for shopping, and meals. While he was showering I turned on the TV to the DVC station.... which he could hear from the other room (I made sure to turn it up!).

I sat down and got out a piece of paper and pen and made some figures onto the paper concerning costs v/s our salary and our new raises coming in the next month! Yep I put down how we truly could buy in using only the raise for our monthly payment, so that we would still have one year to take care of our regular bills on "last year's" salary which we could easily do.

Once he came out of shower and asked what I was up to, I sat him down to watch the tv for a bit, then showed him the figures, yes he was startled at the original buy-in cost but I showed him how it worked out over the 50 years we would have membership (ok the family will as we are both over 50). I showed him how we would get deluxe accomodation EVERY trip, which he prefers, how after the buy in costs for the yearly maintenance fess/dues are less than what we would spend for a "regular" room paying cash not even a deluxe room, and how it would only get better as the savings as the years go by would increase when resorts and hotels continue to go up our costs would pretty much be level wit a very tiny increase each year, very tiny.

Then I hit him with the rest...how we could occasionally trade in to take trips elsewhere, and that with retirement looming for him in 2014, this would open up even more opportunities to go places around the country (or even abroad) without the worry of paying for the lodging as it would be covered.
.
Neeless to say, he was SOLD! We went to DTD, had lunch, walked to the DVC booth, was taken to the sales center where we toured SSR models, and signed that day on a contract for 200 points. No looking back for us! We still say we wished we had bought in even sooner when prices were very low. Since that time we also purchased a 125 point contrace at BLT when they first began selling, and this past Dec. wee added another 100 points to BLT.

How have we benefitted: Knowing we can vacay anywhere we want around the globe is a big plus, saving money in the future on trips when prices continue to climb- ours pretty much do not (at least not very much), plus we get to leave a little legacy for our Disneyloving grand daughter when we "go"...it becomes hers to enjoy until she is 60 years old and can stll take her own grand children (woo how is that for the best thing to leave someone in a will!). Yep we get to leave a legacy!

Finally: since purchasing...we took the immediate family of 6-us, my parents, and daughter/grand-daughter to a 2 Bdrm in SSR for Christmastime in 2008, six months later in June 2009 we took grand daughter for a week stay at Contemp. in a Kingdom room for a week and then a few days in Palm Beach Shores through an RCI transfer , just three months later in Sept. 2009 Grand-daughter and I went for a 5 day stay just the 2 of us at BLT in a Kingdomview room for the Halloween MK Party and EPCOT Foos and Wine Fest.

Additionally: We sent parents on an Anniversary trip to Wyndham Nashville (RCI transfer) July 2009, booked a stay at Treetops resort in Gatlinburg (Christmastime 2009) for us and several friends for 2 nights, are sending parents to Treetops in Gatlinburg (RCI transfer) this July for their anniversary, and have booked the ENTIRE family (ok the same 6 of us actually) on the Disney Dream for July 2012 to celebrate parents anniversary and grand-daughter's birthday. I am waiting for the booking window to open for my dates in July 2012 to get he BLT for 2 nights in a 2 bdrm Kingdom View post-cruise room and also to book a 3 night stay pre-cruise in an RCI transfer(hopefully).

We will still have enough points left that we transferred to RCI o use for a week at the beach summer 2013. Then there is still the matter of the 425 points that we get on Feb.1 2013 that we will have to figure what to do with. Whew, This is what makes DVC membership soooo worth it!

Good luck getting hubby on board, you will not regret it.

YES, Disney Vacation Club makes perfect sense, gives you freedom, provides opportunities, is worth the money. And I will get to start making more frequent visits again real soon. to see Mickey and the gang at WDW. Also looking foward to visiting Aulani upon retiring, and seeing Disneyland for the first time.

So again I say: Good Luck to You! May your dreams come true!

[Cam22]

I've not eaten at either of the two restaurants, so I'm afraid I can't be of help! and for deciding!

[langefamily4]

Originally Posted by disneygramma

Love your TR so far. Looking forward to more, especially if/how you can get hubby to buy in to the DVC piece. I am including some information based on our personal experience with DVC that might come in handy for your knowledge base on how DVC can be so great to have..... hope you don't mind how long it is and I hope it may give you some ideas.

Back in 2007 My hubby and I were driving down to Miami for a stay as he "aways" wanted to go there, so I told him that I would be willing to forego a Disney vacation to make his dream come true (LOL). Can you see where this is going? Now he likes Disney just fine, but he says he wants to go other places too, wait for it!........

Anyway, we drove down and I explained that since we were planning to stop for the night in Florida anyway....why not stay at a Disney resort for a night or two and "rest". I promised no parks (which drat I did stick to). He was willing, so I called and got a booking for the POR "mansions" resort for two nights. Had dinner at Boatwrights and enjoyed the resort area for a while that evning. Next day we were going to DTD for shopping, and meals. While he was showering I turned on the TV to the DVC station.... which he could hear from the other room (I made sure to turn it up!).

I sat down and got out a piece of paper and pen and made some figures onto the paper concerning costs v/s our salary and our new raises coming in the next month! Yep I put down how we truly could buy in using only the raise for our monthly payment, so that we would still have one year to take care of our regular bills on "last year's" salary which we could easily do.

Once he came out of shower and asked what I was up to, I sat him down to watch the tv for a bit, then showed him the figures, yes he was startled at the original buy-in cost but I showed him how it worked out over the 50 years we would have membership (ok the family will as we are both over 50). I showed him how we would get deluxe accomodation EVERY trip, which he prefers, how after the buy in costs for the yearly maintenance fess/dues are less than what we would spend for a "regular" room paying cash not even a deluxe room, and how it would only get better as the savings as the years go by would increase when resorts and hotels continue to go up our costs would pretty much be level wit a very tiny increase each year, very tiny.

Then I hit him with the rest...how we could occasionally trade in to take trips elsewhere, and that with retirement looming for him in 2014, this would open up even more opportunities to go places around the country (or even abroad) without the worry of paying for the lodging as it would be covered.
.
Neeless to say, he was SOLD! We went to DTD, had lunch, walked to the DVC booth, was taken to the sales center where we toured SSR models, and signed that day on a contract for 200 points. No looking back for us! We still say we wished we had bought in even sooner when prices were very low. Since that time we also purchased a 125 point contrace at BLT when they first began selling, and this past Dec. wee added another 100 points to BLT.

How have we benefitted: Knowing we can vacay anywhere we want around the globe is a big plus, saving money in the future on trips when prices continue to climb- ours pretty much do not (at least not very much), plus we get to leave a little legacy for our Disneyloving grand daughter when we "go"...it becomes hers to enjoy until she is 60 years old and can stll take her own grand children (woo how is that for the best thing to leave someone in a will!). Yep we get to leave a legacy!

Finally: since purchasing...we took the immediate family of 6-us, my parents, and daughter/grand-daughter to a 2 Bdrm in SSR for Christmastime in 2008, six months later in June 2009 we took grand daughter for a week stay at Contemp. in a Kingdom room for a week and then a few days in Palm Beach Shores through an RCI transfer , just three months later in Sept. 2009 Grand-daughter and I went for a 5 day stay just the 2 of us at BLT in a Kingdomview room for the Halloween MK Party and EPCOT Foos and Wine Fest.

Additionally: We sent parents on an Anniversary trip to Wyndham Nashville (RCI transfer) July 2009, booked a stay at Treetops resort in Gatlinburg (Christmastime 2009) for us and several friends for 2 nights, are sending parents to Treetops in Gatlinburg (RCI transfer) this July for their anniversary, and have booked the ENTIRE family (ok the same 6 of us actually) on the Disney Dream for July 2012 to celebrate parents anniversary and grand-daughter's birthday. I am waiting for the booking window to open for my dates in July 2012 to get he BLT for 2 nights in a 2 bdrm Kingdom View post-cruise room and also to book a 3 night stay pre-cruise in an RCI transfer(hopefully).

We will still have enough points left that we transferred to RCI o use for a week at the beach summer 2013. Then there is still the matter of the 425 points that we get on Feb.1 2013 that we will have to figure what to do with. Whew, This is what makes DVC membership soooo worth it!

Good luck getting hubby on board, you will not regret it.

YES, Disney Vacation Club makes perfect sense, gives you freedom, provides opportunities, is worth the money. And I will get to start making more frequent visits again real soon. to see Mickey and the gang at WDW. Also looking foward to visiting Aulani upon retiring, and seeing Disneyland for the first time.

So again I say: Good Luck to You! May your dreams come true!

Thank you for all of the info!! That defintely gives me a better angle of approach

[disneygramma]

Looking forward to more and more, I especially look forward to seeing how it all turns out once you make that visit.

[langefamily4]

Happy 4th of July weekend everyone! We are spending the morning inside enjoying family movie time. Now showing in the Lange household….Star Wars!!! This is the first time my munchkins have ever seen and we are getting them ready for Star Tours


Today we are 62 days out from our trip and I am slowly starting to get my packing list developed. I know that the next few months are going to go by fast between work and things at home, so I want to make sure that I have everything I need well in advance.


I guess its about time to start sharing some of my trips plans


Day 1 (Sept 3rd): This is our travel day to Disney. We will be flying from San Antonio into MCO. After our last trip where we didn’t arrive until 3pm I decided to try and get us in to Orlando as early as possible. My kids are used to getting up early so 6am flights are not a problem with them. We are currently scheduled to land right around 11:55 in the morning. My hope is that we can be at our hotel sometime between 1:30 and 2. We are planning on flying in clothes that we would wear into the parks so I wont need to wait for luggage.



The plan is to have our park tickets start this day so that we can head right in to the park. Not sure yet where we will start, but most likely MK. Now that our kids have been to Disney before and know what to expect from each park, I don’t worry too much about them being disappointed with going to MK first. If we head to MK, our first stop will probably be Splash Mtn. DS was 2 inches too short on our last trip and he has been working so hard to grow those last few inches in order to ride the ride. I feel pretty safe in saying he is well past 42” now Otherwise, we will probably roam around and ride whatever is free, using this day to get the kids reacclimated to Disney.



The only set thing for the day is 7:30 reservations at O’Hana…I AM SO EXCITED!!! I have tried to get ressies there every trip and have failed miserably. At my 180 day mark, it was the first reservations that I looked for. I was hoping to get a late enough reservation that we may be able to catch Wishes….keep your fingers crossed!! If we finish dinner to early, or don’t have a good seat at dinner, my plan is to watch Wishes from the beach at Poly and then head back to the room for a good nights sleep.


Up Next….A Bright and Early breakfast with the gang!