PTR - The Maybe Trip May '17

tzeitel · Jun 4, 2016

So a couple of days ago I had this whole first post done. I hit post and ...nothing. My computer froze and it would not come back up. I have a tendency to do small(ish) reports - not very good at writing so I just keep it short and sweet. But for this PTR I had a HUGE first post. I wanted to do one of those PTR I enjoy reading - every step, booking, purchase, savings, tips etc documented. But it was not meant to be, but I will try again.

The basics? We (DH, DD and I) live in the mountains of CO and work in a ski resort village. We have 2 big seasons - Winter and Summer. The other 2 smaller seasons are mud and construction

Mud and construction seasons are late April-May and Oct-early Nov, that means during that time this place is a ghost town, which in turn means that is when the locals go on vacation. This past May we went to visit my family in Puerto Rico and in August we will travel East to celebrate my IL's 50th anniversary. So no Oct trip, but I HAVE to plan a trip. It is what gets me through the 6 month Winter.

We went to DLR this past Oct to do the Halloween party and see all the 60th stuff. It was awesome

So awesome that when DD had a mid-Winter break I decided to brave the Vail pass in Feb (once it starts snowing we do not leave the valley) and take DD for a short trip. It was a super short trip since I only had 3 days off, we arrived on a Tuesday morning, spent the day at DCA then a full day at DLR and caught the early morning entrance at DLR before going to the airport (check out my not so tiny report in my signature).

This is us climbing the Matterhorn - we are from the mountains so yes we climb in shorts and flip flops

This is a maybe trip because while I am planning for April, it might be in May or I might postpone it if our rent goes up. Rent in the Vail valley is out of control and our lease is up in August, right now we have a pretty reasonable rent but that is because we have been here for a few years. If our landlord decides he can do better putting 6 kids in our 2 rooms we might have to move and pay the crazy rents others are asking for.

Which brings me to the other reason I want to do a PTR. I want to keep track of our budget, expenses, discounts etc. Previously I have paid for our trips with rewards and tips from my job, but for this one I want to pay for all of it with rewards. I started with a $75 gift card to Southwest, $30 gift card to Target and $100 cash (birthday gift yay!).

tzeitel · Jun 7, 2016

Figured we would go April 23rd to the 28th or May 7th to the 12th. Not sure when the mountain closes next April but usually the last week in April is a safe bet. My birthday is on May 8th and the mountain would be closed by then for sure.

I know it is super early to be booking anything but I have found the best deals when booking as soon as the motels on Harbor open their dates. Right now the only one I have found is Desert Inn and Suites, we stayed there this past Oct and had a good experience. They have the April dates for a total of $550 (includes parking fee which I am not sure if we will have a car. If not then it would drop by $45), for May the total is $643.60. Travel sites have some motels available but for much more than what they usually go for so not looking there yet.

Flights have not opened up on Southwest (our preferred airline) but can usually find flights for $79-99 each way to SNA. Working on one my sites that rewards with miles!

Tickets for this year are at $297.48 through LMTC for a 5 day hopper, I hope they do not go up too much for next year.

So for now I am looking at around $2100. Of course there are other expenses (yes we do intend to eat while at DLR) but this is a good first goal.

I went through all my rewards for the month of May. It was a slow month for earning - went on vacation for a little over a week - so I did not make the monthly bonuses etc. Still I did not do too bad -

$10 Starbucks card
$75 Target cards (add that to the $30 I had from April)
$45 Paypal
$20 Amazon

I took the Target cards and the Paypal $ and turned them into Disney cards. I had to buy a Target card to round it up to $200. I used PP $ from a couple of Ebay sales to get a card from Raise. It was a $40 card for $38.40. With Target you also get the 5% off when buying the cards online if you have a Target RedCard. So I spent $38.40 for a $200 Disney card :teacher:

I am hoping to do $200 a month in Target and PP from my 3 main reward sites. With the sites I don't spend as much time on I am going for more specific places/amounts. With Ebay it is hit or miss - and I get lazy when it comes to listing stuff - so I am not expecting more than $50 a month.

tzeitel · Jun 9, 2016

Cardpool had Target cards for 5% off yesterday and today so I used my $100 birthday money and got a $105 card. When I went to online to Target they were out of Disney cards - no problem, I thought, I will get a SW card since we will need that anyway. Nope, I completely forgot that Target changed their policy to not allow e-cards to be purchased with a gift card

We can still get Disney cards since they are physical cards but I would have to wait for them to restock.

So now I am either going to wait for Disney cards to be restocked or buy stuff we would get anyway - they have paper towels on sale plus a $5 gc for buying 2. Might do that for us or for work - will have to see if we are running low tomorrow.

Jaina · Jun 11, 2016

I hope your trip happens! I understand the "maybe" part. Our upcoming trip was a big "maybe" for the first 6-7 months I was hoping for it. Now that it's like 5 months out it's turned into a "probably," and I really hope nothing happens to downgrade it back to a "maybe!" Sounds like you're starting in plenty of time for all the financial planning you need to do.

tzeitel · Jun 12, 2016

Disney cards are back at Target! Got another $100 Disney card, making it a total of $300 so far. I am thinking I will get $500 for food - will budget an extra $100-150 in cash for DtD restaurants.

Jaina said:
I hope your trip happens! I understand the "maybe" part. Our upcoming trip was a big "maybe" for the first 6-7 months I was hoping for it. Now that it's like 5 months out it's turned into a "probably," and I really hope nothing happens to downgrade it back to a "maybe!" Sounds like you're starting in plenty of time for all the financial planning you need to do.

Thanks! I am planning like it is a done deal

Already booked DI&S for April and May - will cancel one as soon as I get DD's school schedule for next year and I get a definate date on when the mountain closes. Really leaning towards May since it would be nice to spend my birthday at Disney (or at Disney not having to work, I am an ex-CM at WDW and have worked on my birthday). Good luck on your planning, hope it moves from probably to - "where the heck did I put our suitcase?"

WDWJonasGirl · Jun 14, 2016

Hope you get to go. I love the current month on MyVMK

tzeitel · Jun 15, 2016

Paypal is selling SW cards at 10% off (on Ebay) and I figured I could get $200 to add to the $75 I already have. We have SW credit that needs to be used but we are planning on going to MA in August so might use it for that. If we use it for the August flight then the GCs would cover a nice chunk of what we would need for DLR. If we do not use the credit for that (looking at other airlines for a better deal) we can still use some of the GCs (figured we still need $75 to cover the plane tickets).

I have been reading a lot of ppl have issues buying from PP Digital Gift Cards (their name on Ebay). They get locked out, accounts frozen etc. But I figured since it is my first purchase that it would be OK. Yeah, not so much. I had to call them to see if they could do a security override, she said she could not do it unless I answered some security questions that can go as far back as 20 years. I said, no problem. She then said sorry, can't even do that. She then said it was because I do not use PP that much. Hmm, I use it pretty much every day. I buy and sell on Ebay (right now have over 20 listings) and PP is the only form of payment accepted. I have been a verified member for over 10 years - I think it is more like 15 since I started on Ebay in 1999. Agent was very nice and said that their fraud system flags good accounts along with the bad sometimes and there is nothing they could do other than trying a different computer - did that yesterday - or clearing cookies. But as it is I should not try for another 24 hours. Oh, well :crazy2:

On a happier note - I won a $10 gift card from one of my reward sites from a sweeps!

Jaina · Jun 18, 2016

tzeitel said:
Paypal is selling SW cards at 10% off (on Ebay) and I figured I could get $200 to add to the $75 I already have. We have SW credit that needs to be used but we are planning on going to MA in August so might use it for that. If we use it for the August flight then the GCs would cover a nice chunk of what we would need for DLR. If we do not use the credit for that (looking at other airlines for a better deal) we can still use some of the GCs (figured we still need $75 to cover the plane tickets).

I have been reading a lot of ppl have issues buying from PP Digital Gift Cards (their name on Ebay). They get locked out, accounts frozen etc. But I figured since it is my first purchase that it would be OK. Yeah, not so much. I had to call them to see if they could do a security override, she said she could not do it unless I answered some security questions that can go as far back as 20 years. I said, no problem. She then said sorry, can't even do that. She then said it was because I do not use PP that much. Hmm, I use it pretty much every day. I buy and sell on Ebay (right now have over 20 listings) and PP is the only form of payment accepted. I have been a verified member for over 10 years - I think it is more like 15 since I started on Ebay in 1999. Agent was very nice and said that their fraud system flags good accounts along with the bad sometimes and there is nothing they could do other than trying a different computer - did that yesterday - or clearing cookies. But as it is I should not try for another 24 hours. Oh, well

On a happier note - I won a $10 gift card from one of my reward sites from a sweeps!

Seriously? What a mess! I think that's ridiculous, especially the part where she said it's because you don't use your paypal that often.

I've been wanting to get a Target Red card and start buying gift cards through there (to combine and use to buy our tickets) but I've been reading about people having trouble with that, too. :-( And I need to buy through the site, because I get a decent discount through my alumni association as well. I will have to wait a while and see if they get that bug worked out before I put much into the gift cards, I guess. Or I could buy a few anyway over the next few months, planning to use them for meals in park or something? I hate glitches in systems that are supposed to work a certain way!

tzeitel · Jun 21, 2016

Super day - I found a Disney gift card in my travel wallet that still has $6.38! I also found a $25 gift card someone gave us for Christmas a few years ago. Not something we would use so I sold it for $20. Got the check today after only 3 days

I was also able to redeem for a $25 Target gc and $25 for Paypal. Took the PP $ and bought a discounted Target card (6% off), then bought a $50 Disney card through Target and got the extra 5% off. Every penny (or $2.50) helps! Also redeemed for another $10 Starbucks card. We are not Starbucks drinkers but I always go to get sodas, waters and they also have Mickey cookies - at WDW they have cupcakes but when I asked at DCA the girl looked at me like I was nuts and said they have never carried cupcakes. I got DD a super cool (and delicious) Darth Vader cupcake at DHS last time we went - it was a Star Wars weekend. I did get these these at Starbucks as well -

They are small, meant to be used as ornaments or espresso cups. But the 60th anniversary one I also got full size for my mom.

Been working on a list of what I need to earn on the reward sites and so far I have come up with -

Need -
$500 in Disney cards (for food)
$100 Starbucks (sodas, water, snacks)
$150 Choice Hotels (park n fly)
$600 Southwest (unless we still have credit available, then it will be just $75)

Have -
$356.38 Disney cards
$20.43 Starbucks
$75 Southwest

tzeitel · Jul 6, 2016

My birthday was in May and a friend who had just moved very far away

made me this and sent it so I could plan my next Disney trip - she knows I always have one in the works! All the numbers have a different Disney image.

Mamato4boys · Jul 8, 2016

We are in major budget mode for our November trip, as well. Do you mind telling me what reward sites you use? I used to do a few of them several years ago, but I don't know which one are even legit anymore.

tzeitel · Jul 10, 2016

Finally tallied my June earnings! Did a total of $285.

$10 Starbucks card
$15 Walmart card
$130 Paypal
$15 Amazon
$115 Target cards

I changed the Target/Walmart cards into Disney cards, and transferred the PP into our vacation fund. I did use the Amazon card for a bday gift for DD but I took the cash equivalent and moved that into the vacation fund.

So now I have -
$30.46 Starbucks
$456.38 Disney
$75 Southwest
Gottta double check how much I have in the vacation fund - I know there was a little (like $25) left over from our last vacation.

Bad news (for my budget) is that we used the SW credit for a trip this August so now I have to hustle to get our airfare completely covered by my reward sites.

tzeitel · Aug 20, 2016

Another month (and a half by now :teeth:

) down! We did go to MA earlier this month and I have been working so not much time for planning (lots of daydreaming but no actual planning). While in MA it was DD's 14th birthday! DD has special needs and her favorite characters are Nemo and Elmo so her birthday was Elmo/Nemo themed

Southwest will release their fares for May on Nov 1st :sunny:

While we do not have credit to spend, DH and I do have enough miles for one way tickets. I had to go through their shopping rewards portal to get DH enough miles but it was for stuff we needed - I usually find the best point/cash back site and SW is usually not even close. So, as long as the usual fares do not go up between now and Nov we are good. DH will have one mile left over - yeah I cut it a little close!
For DD's tix and the other leg of the flight I will do gift cards. Right now I have $100 so I need $200 more.

Last month I was a bit lazy and only got $100 in gift cards, but I did sell $90 on Ebay so yay! Bad news though, I just found out Target is no longer allowing Disney gift card purchases with Target gift cards. At least I had already used my Target cards to buy Disney ones before we left on our trip. Now I have to figure out what to do. I think I will get Walmart cards (which we shop in all the time since we have like 2 stores up here), take the $ equivalent and put that in my vacation fund.

tzeitel · Aug 26, 2016

I am obsessed with t-shirts, and Disney shirts are no exception. I like the more unique ones, the character you do not see all the time or attractions that barely have any merch. The Disney Store just released a 3 YesterEars shirts and I HAD to get the Figment and Dreamfinder shirt https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...ng-to-disney-parks-online-store-on-august-18/

So, while I wait for Figs and DF to arrive I thought I would show my collection of Disney shirts.

My favorite ride and an underrepresented character in the parks

These are another limited edition from the DS. I seriously could not decide which shirt I wanted for myself so I got 2. HAD to get the Phoenicians, where else can you find this shirt?! I also love that they have print front and back. I also got DH a Country Bear jamboree one with Big Al on the front (really wanted it for myself) and got DD a Nemo Subs shirt - she loooves Nemo!

I got this one on my last trip to DLR (the Feb super short trip I took with DD). I had seen it in Oct but I kept saying "later, later" and then it was too late and I forgot

Next trip I will probably get the Headless Ned one if they still have it, so torn between the 2 but DD liked this one better.

Ok, so these are not technically mine (yet). They are DDs but she is quickly outgrowing them - she is taller than I am already! Super sad she is outgrowing the Dumbo tee since it is so perfect. The Monster's Inc one she is actually wearing today for P.E.

Love me some mash-ups! GoT and Disney dragons, WB and SW. What is not to love, not to mention Gossamer!!

tzeitel · Aug 26, 2016

More SW love

The WDW Mickey shirt was actually supposed to be Brer Rabbit but they were sold out. Got it in '08 and I have not seen them since

Mr Toad is just awesome, the Oswald shirt I wore with black capris and it was a great Disbound when meeting Oswald last Oct - the CM and Oswald both loved it and were so happy that I bounded as him.

My Figment, how I love him!

Not enough Hades...anywhere!

I also love tees that look like ads and concert tees.

Could not have Disney tees without a couple of Haunted Mansion. Love the NBC/HM mash up. funny, that one was supposed to be for DD but they sent the wrong size...my size

DD and DH have a bunch as well, and I forgot to take a pic of my monorail shirt that says "Please stand clear of the doors". For now, this is what I have

I get most of them from Woot, TeeFury - if you go to the sites and find something you like look at the size charts! If you notice some of my TeeFury shirts are XXXL and then some XL. They changed their shirts recently, they used to run super small, now not so much but still a little small. I like my tees a little big and mostly wear size L. Woot is pretty good with sizes except white shirts - those run short and shrink.

Jaina · Aug 26, 2016

That is an awesome shirt collection! I love the scrooge one.

tzeitel · Aug 29, 2016

Jaina said:
That is an awesome shirt collection! I love the scrooge one.

Thanks! I have not worn Scrooge to the park yet but I will take him with me in May. I try not to wear the WDW shirts to DLR but once I get the new Figment shirt I just might have to - it looks too nice to leave it behind

ClaraOswald · Sep 4, 2016

Our 2017 trip is still in the "maybe" stage as well. But I am starting to book anyway. Fingers crossed!

When you say you are working on a list of what you need to earn on the rewards sites...what exactly do you mean reward sites? Sorry if that is a dumb question. I am just curious how to earn $500 in Disney cards, for example.

tzeitel · Sep 16, 2016

Oh Fraggle, so I did this -

As I've mentioned before, we usually travel Oct and May since we work in a very seasonal place - there is no one here then. But this year we went in May & August (family thing, had to be in Aug). This is making the off season incredibly long and boring (over 2 months!). So when I saw DD has 5 days off in Oct I knew it was a sign. DH still works that week so I said I would take DD, he was not happy since he wanted to go too. So we pushed it back a week and now all of us are going :love1:

So we are now going late Oct. Staying at the Best Western Stovall's (first time on the "other side" since I could not find anything on Harbor).

Frontier is having a sale (I think it ends today) for $44 one way - even paying for 1 bag (we pack light), and picking our seats (gosh I hate all those extra fees) it comes out to $60 per person. DH and I have (had I guess) miles on SW so we come back on SW for just the $5.60 fees. DD's ticket was paid with gift cards from my reward sites. This does (pretty much) drain my savings for our May trip but I have all winter to make it up! We found a good deal on a car (DH likes to have it to eat off property) from Dollar.

Was looking into the party but we have done it twice already (in 2011 and 2015) and it was nice but not a "must do" this trip - although the Headless Horseman was tempting! We also like to Disbound and I had a perfect outfit for the party - Goob from Meet the Robinsons, just got the perfect top and found a small bowler hat on Amazon.

So I found out we were going day before yesterday and already have the hotel, car, and flights booked. Just need to get our tickets (I will be getting an AP for the first time!!!!!), and figure out if we want any ADRs.

tzeitel · Sep 28, 2016

So this May PTR has now become an Oct PTR. Like I mentioned before, it all happened super fast but we are now booked for everything we need. We arrive in SNA at 9AM, booked a car through Dollar for 5 days ($126 after a code I found on the transportation board), and booked BW Stovalls through lmtclub ( I became a member after searching online for a code which made the membership free).

I got our tickets through lmtclub as well since they have the best prices. DL direct, a 5 day PH would be $335, lmtclub has them for $281.97, saving $53 per ticket! I will upgrade to an AP since we still plan to go for my birthday in May and can take advantage of the discounts on food and merchandise.

Last year I wanted to do the Ralph Brennan's Haunted Gingerbread event but it sold out pretty fast. This year they did not have a link on their site but I contacted them through FB and was told that they will have the event on Oct 22nd and 23rd, 12-2PM and tickets would go on sale on Sept 26th - through FB only. I got DD and I tickets (came out to $51 for the two of us), DH will sacrifice himself and not join us (although I told him that to add a person is just $12). Said he will patiently wait for us at Trader Sam's - such a saint! Yesterday I was telling him I wanted to do lunch at TS and maybe get a drink in one of the souvenir glasses - he said he could help with that too

Even though we decided not to do the party I still look around for costume (or disbound) ideas. A couple of days ago I went to Walmart and found a glittery gold crown on a headband. It reminded so much of King Candy I had to get it. Though I could have us bound as villains, Bowler hat guy (Goob), King Candy and have to find one for DH.

PTR - The Maybe Trip May '17

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