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

[StephPlum]

I'm leaning towards a Yellowstone trip unless anyone here can convince me to pick something else. I definitely want something with a little more nature like a national park.

Yellowstone is amazing. It is like nowhere I have ever been before. The park is quite large and has a bunch of different types of areas from geysers to canyons to hot springs to valleys. IMO it is worth it to stay in the park to cut down on drive time. You'll still be driving a lot since the park is soooo big so saving any drive time is a good idea. If you want to stay in the park, you'll want to mark May 1 on your calendar. The accommodations for the entire next year open on May 1 the year prior. They go really quickly especially for the popular summer month.

Here is my trip report on tripadvisor from 3 years ago when we went. https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTop...llowstone_National_Park_Wyoming.html#76385973 I would definitely add on Grand Tetons since it is practically attached to Yellowstone.

 

[gottalovepluto]

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[speedyfishy]

Has anyone ever taken a gift card not loaded from a store and then tried to purchase it at another store? Yes, a weird question...

I went to Staples this morning as they have a few of their gift cards (namely for me Petco and Panera) 20% off and then I have an AmEx Staples offer. I wanted $200 of the Petco but they only had 4 $25 ones. So of course I grabbed those and then after I purchased a friend I was talking to asked if it was possible to go get, for example, a Petco gift card at other store with no money loaded on it and then take it to Staples and pay for it? I had never thought about it before, I mean there isn't any money attached to the blank gift card but then I wondered if the registers at the stores "know" their gift card barcodes?

Has anyone ever tried this or read anything about doing this? Not something that I would think anyone would do routinely but I would like to get more of this gift cards while they are still on sale.

People on Reddit have done this. Personally, I am not comfortable doing this. I went to staples at 11am and they had nothing. Still don’t even have Disney Gift cards after I wiped them out months ago.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Guys I don't know what to say or do anymore. You already know my one girlfriend was out for Vegas because she hurt her knee very badly. Then my husband went into a downward health spiral.

But now, I have just learned that my other girlfriend who was meeting us... died last night. At age 42 this is obviously sudden and a shock.

I feel numb. And I don't know who to talk to about this so I posted here.

I’m so sorry for your loss. That is so hard.

 

[Haley R]

Yellowstone is amazing. It is like nowhere I have ever been before. The park is quite large and has a bunch of different types of areas from geysers to canyons to hot springs to valleys. IMO it is worth it to stay in the park to cut down on drive time. You'll still be driving a lot since the park is soooo big so saving any drive time is a good idea. If you want to stay in the park, you'll want to mark May 1 on your calendar. The accommodations for the entire next year open on May 1 the year prior. They go really quickly especially for the popular summer month.

Here is my trip report on tripadvisor from 3 years ago when we went. https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTop...llowstone_National_Park_Wyoming.html#76385973 I would definitely add on Grand Tetons since it is practically attached to Yellowstone.

Wow that’s an awesome trip report! I was thinking about going later this year in the fall. Do you think everything in the park is sold out already? We probably wouldn’t even think about going until after our Japan trip. I can’t think about planning another trip just yet

 

[WVMomof3]

Yellowstone is amazing. It is like nowhere I have ever been before. The park is quite large and has a bunch of different types of areas from geysers to canyons to hot springs to valleys. IMO it is worth it to stay in the park to cut down on drive time. You'll still be driving a lot since the park is soooo big so saving any drive time is a good idea. If you want to stay in the park, you'll want to mark May 1 on your calendar. The accommodations for the entire next year open on May 1 the year prior. They go really quickly especially for the popular summer month.

Here is my trip report on tripadvisor from 3 years ago when we went. https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTop...llowstone_National_Park_Wyoming.html#76385973 I would definitely add on Grand Tetons since it is practically attached to Yellowstone.

Thanks for the link to your Yellowstone trip. This is one we want to do. My problem with it is you have to plan so far in advance! I’m not good at that. We lucked out with our Grand Canyon trip a couple years ago and I was able to get rooms in June when I didn’t book till March. But I know I was lucky in that. I tried to go your Rocky Mountain Park review but the link just sent me to the general RMNP page. We have tentative plans for that this summer so would like to see your reviews if possible.

 

[Haley R]

Thanks for the link to your Yellowstone trip. This is one we want to do. My problem with it is you have to plan so far in advance! I’m not good at that. We lucked out with our Grand Canyon trip a couple years ago and I was able to get rooms in June when I didn’t book till March. But I know I was lucky in that. I tried to go your Rocky Mountain Park review but the link just sent me to the general RMNP page. We have tentative plans for that this summer so would like to see your reviews if possible.

I’m the same way. We would probably want to go this fall but we wouldn’t plan until after our Japan trip in June.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

I still cling to my colloquial mantra: “Always Be MSRing”. Nothing can beat that...

As far as “regular folk” - what you share absolutely makes sense. Case in point: numerous people on the DIS (not here) putting every $ on the Chase Disney credit card bragging about how they earn so much towards their trips... In your mind you’re screaming “you idiot - get a Double Cash, and use the cash back to purchase discounted Disney gift cards...you’d come out 6-10%+ ahead!!” Yet people don’t think logically or efficiently when it comes to CC rewards. They make emotional decisions (oh I love my card with Yoda on it) or they are blown by the winds of marketing and advertising. It’s sad really...yet I think back when I used to put every dime on a Discover for 1% and then every dime on a SW card for ~1.7% at the time before I was a churner.

Agreed. 10 years ago we were saving for a baby and trip to China. I was so excited to save over $1k Discover cash back Although at least I used a bunch of it for GCs at BuyBuyBaby which were $45 cashback for $50 GC

 

[CyndiLouWho]

It's completely normal to be sitting here at midnight running hypothetical (worst case) resort scenarios for a January WDW trip using AA miles, right??

I'm trying to follow my own advice, which is:
1) Earn the AA miles well in advance
2) Have a plan but be flexible
3) When you see what you want...BOOK IT and don't look back

So here's my goal - Split Stay with BC/YC/BW (Water view preferable) and Contemporary (Theme Park view) or Grand Flo (any view) or Poly if all else fails. Here's what I'm assuming to figure out my AA miles needs:

• Either 4 or 5 nights in Epcot area and 3 or 2 nights in MK area (total 7 nights either way)
• Using this year's pricing, then including a 10% increase, assuming no room discount at all (in 2019 a 25% and 10% discount was offered respectively on those 2 resorts)
• Assuming 0.9cpp value of AA miles on AAVacations.com (that includes a throwaway rental car) which seems conservative based on the scenarios I've looked at on the site.
• I then assumed my wife gets another AA biz in June and I get one in July. Any more mailers than that could violate rule 1... We should have about 490k AA miles when we're through all of that.

So I'm hoping this is my worst case. The 4night/3night plan leaves us paying about $350 OOP and the 5night/2night plan leaves us paying about $200 OOP. (The OOP costs are a result of being short on AA miles in either my account or my wife's account depending on who is covering which stay).

So now I'm all set...I just need Disney to release resorts, hope the price increase isn't beyond 10%, pray for availability to be decent on AAVacations.com, allow 5 months time to pass, earn a bunch more AA miles and hope Disney releases even a minor discount...that's not too much to ask, right?

Can I ask, with all the Marriott points you have, why not use those for Swolphin instead af YC/BC?

 

[Psychodisney]

We are flying into Chicago that weekend for the opening of the new Hamilton exhibit and of course to see the show in Chicago too

We might see you there! Just bought tickets for the exhibit on 4/27 for my DD's birthday. She'll be home for the weekend so we thought we'd surprise her.
I'll be looking for your statement red hair!

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Yellowstone is amazing. It is like nowhere I have ever been before. The park is quite large and has a bunch of different types of areas from geysers to canyons to hot springs to valleys. IMO it is worth it to stay in the park to cut down on drive time. You'll still be driving a lot since the park is soooo big so saving any drive time is a good idea. If you want to stay in the park, you'll want to mark May 1 on your calendar. The accommodations for the entire next year open on May 1 the year prior. They go really quickly especially for the popular summer month.

Here is my trip report on tripadvisor from 3 years ago when we went. https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTop...llowstone_National_Park_Wyoming.html#76385973 I would definitely add on Grand Tetons since it is practically attached to Yellowstone.

Would Yellowstone be doable in March/April (Spring Break) ? I’m debating a couple National Parks for next year Spring Break.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Trying to finish up AA CitiBiz spend. These 5k spends kill me. Taking forever. Next one, I think I’ll apply for the 60k AA Biz for DH.

In other news
I applied for Hilton Amex 5/17/2017. When that drops off, I’ll be at 4/24. When am I safe to apply for SWBiz?

 

[Judique]

Can I ask, with all the Marriott points you have, why not use those for Swolphin instead af YC/BC?

@SouthFayetteFan

I was going to say that maybe he's a bit of a hoarder when it comes to certain points. I'm definitely in that camp. Lots of ideas for spending certificates and my daughter's points, but basically want my own Marriott points to keep growing.

And, I'd prefer to stay at Yacht and Beach, but have no problem staying at Swan.

Plus, getting big chunks of Marriott points is more difficult now - I've done all the Amex and Chase Marriott options and would have to close a bunch of stuff to apply for more Chase and then wait for 5/24. I grabbed what I could when I could. Also, spending on the card for them is not as worth it. So, I'll use the certs and try to build points up when offers come along and when I can use the card for increased value at the hotels. That will be a slow process. So, hoarding will be the key for now.

 

[StephPlum]

Thanks for the link to your Yellowstone trip. This is one we want to do. My problem with it is you have to plan so far in advance! I’m not good at that. We lucked out with our Grand Canyon trip a couple years ago and I was able to get rooms in June when I didn’t book till March. But I know I was lucky in that. I tried to go your Rocky Mountain Park review but the link just sent me to the general RMNP page. We have tentative plans for that this summer so would like to see your reviews if possible.

Here is my RMNP trip report. We only did 2 days. 3 would have been better as there were some hikes we skipped due to time. https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTop...Mountain_National_Park_Colorado.html#76386127

@Haley R - I just checked Xanterra (vendor for inside the parks). There is availability for August/September/October for accommodations. The places I stayed are open through mid Oct. Usually people book on the first day they can but then after the first of the year they firm up their plans and things can become available as plans change.

I recommend this book Your Guide to the National Parks by Michael Joseph Oswald. Has all the national parks and sample itineraries. I borrowed from my library before buying my own copy. Also specific to Yellowstone - Yellowstone Treasures by Janet Chapple.

 

[pillow]

Thanks for the link to your Yellowstone trip. This is one we want to do. My problem with it is you have to plan so far in advance! I’m not good at that. We lucked out with our Grand Canyon trip a couple years ago and I was able to get rooms in June when I didn’t book till March. But I know I was lucky in that. I tried to go your Rocky Mountain Park review but the link just sent me to the general RMNP page. We have tentative plans for that this summer so would like to see your reviews if possible.

I highly recommend driving the Beartooth Highway if you can- from Red Lodge. From there you could stay just outside the northeast entrance (easier to do last minute). Between there and Roosevelt Lodge is my favorite part of the park - so beautiful and lots of wildlife in that area. You can also stay in Gardner, which is just outside of the north entrance. I much prefer to stay inside the park but you’re right - gitta book EARLY! Yellowstone is one of my favorite places.

 

[StephPlum]

Would Yellowstone be doable in March/April (Spring Break) ? I’m debating a couple National Parks for next year Spring Break.

Probably not an ideal time to go. The two lodges that stay open for winter, close at the beginning of March. Then those and the others open at end of April/beginning of May. I would think you would run into snow and some closed roads that aren't regularly plowed through winter.

For ideas:
For spring break, the Utah parks - Arches, Canyonlands, Zion would be great. Bryce might be good then but might be cold.
Or southern California - Joshua Tree and Death Valley.
Or Great Smoky NP in Tennessee.
I haven't researched the Everglades but I would assume spring would be a good time with regards to weather.

 

[StephPlum]

I highly recommend driving the Beartooth Highway if you can- from Red Lodge.

We didn't get to do this, just not enough time. Figure that gives me incentive to go back.

 

[pillow]

Would Yellowstone be doable in March/April (Spring Break) ? I’m debating a couple National Parks for next year Spring Break.

I think it would be cold. And you’d have snow in March. I probably wouldn’t go then for your first trip there. Roosevelt Lodge is our favorite and their season is short if I remember correctly.

 

[pillow]

We didn't get to do this, just not enough time. Figure that gives me incentive to go back.

Thats what we did. Just couldn’t fit it in the first time.

 

[mmmears]

AA Max cancellations through Jun 5. Remember, just because you weren’t scheduled to fly a Max doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. I had a non-Max flight cancelled last month due to this. http://news.aa.com/news/news-detail...tm_medium=website&utm_campaign=aacom_tracking

If you have a number of AA flights coming up you might want to consider an ExpertFlyer subscription account, they will notify you by email if any flights you’re watching have changes. (I suspect they will probably be faster than the airline to notify.) I did the one week free trial and I’m subscribed for one month ($9.99) for peace of mind so I can stop obsessively checking my upcoming AA flights.

Thanks for the heads up. We have one flight booked for May, but it's on an A330, so not even close to the size of the MAX8. I'm really hoping it doesn't get canceled somehow, but I'm not too worried about this one (maybe I should be).