Last Minute Reminders

It's almost time!! Only 2 days away!!

Games:
Sharon and I are bringing a few games. If you'd like to bring some games, feel free.
Sharon is requesting that every person bring a deck of playing cards for a game she has in mind.

Things to remember:

• Bathing suit/trunks if you will be getting in the hot tub
• CASH for the tour bus. It has to be made in one payment, so it would be easier if everyone just paid cash. $62.95 per person + tax. Also another $5 per couple to pay the extra $20 fee to pick us up and drop us off at the cabin. The website suggests tipping the driver, that is totally up to your discretion, just a heads up.
• Saturday night dinner dish, your steaks and late night appetizer, as well as your own breakfast food.  

This is going to be SO much fun! Can't wait! See you all on Friday!! 

Weekend Plans and Meals

The bus tour is booked!!

Sharon and I tried to figure out a timeline for the weekend, so we could get a game plan for meals. None of this is set in stone, we want it to work for everyone in the group. Please let us know if we need to make any changes or if something doesn't work for you.

Friday

We will all be arriving at different times. The cabin company will text me the code for the door when the cabin is ready and I'll text it out to the group, should be ready at 4pm. I think the Gammon's and the Cross' are leaving early on Friday, we are leaving around 10:30am, but are going four-wheeling Friday afternoon, so we won't get to the cabin until probably around 7pm. Chris is considering taking a half day, and leaving when she gets out of work.

*We are going to eat out for lunch once we get to town, before we ride ATV's. Not sure where yet. The group is welcome to join us! Let me know if you want to meet up.

Friday Dinner:
*Update: The Tyson's are going to eat out Friday night. Tommy and I could just grab something on our way in from 4-wheeling, that way nobody will have to wait on us to eat dinner. The Cross' and the Gammon's can decide if they want to cook together in the cabin or eat out Friday night.

*Bring your own snacks for late night munchies.

Saturday Breakfast: 

The bus tour starts at 10:30am. Breakfast is each to his own. Just bring a frozen breakfast sandwich, cereal, granola bar, muffins, whatever you would like for breakfast.

Saturday Dinner: 
We should get back from the bus tour around 4:30pm. After a moonshine tour, we thought maybe we should stay in instead of drive.
Steak - everyone bring their own, the guys can grill them
Baked Potatoes - Kristin
Green Beans - Sharon
Toppings for potatoes - Chris
Dessert - Amy
Sugar Free Dessert: Sharon

Late night snacks: 
Everyone bring an appetizer of their choice to share.
Buffalo Chicken Dip - Kristin
Pepperoni Rolls - Kristin
Nachos - Chris
Meatballs - Amy

Sunday:
Checkout. Tommy and I are going to stay in town until Sunday afternoon. We don't have anything specific planned. We're open if anyone wants to hang out before coming home.

Cuzzin Eddie's Toors

Cuzzin Eddie's Toors 

http://www.cousineddiestours.com/Toors.html

I called today to get more information about availability and ask a few questions. Here's what I found out. They do have availability on Saturday 9/15 and it would be a private tour, meaning only our group would be on the bus. They said to expect the tour to last 6 hours. The tour would start at 10:30am, they have to base the times around the restaurants hours.

BONUS: For an extra $20 (total, not per person) they will come pick us up and drop us back off at our cabin! No need for a designated driver after all that moonshine! They need the cabin address and permission from the rental company, and as long as they can get permission and get the bus up to our cabin, then we can arrange this.

This is for the Eat, Drink and be Mary tour. It's a combo of their food tour and their moonshine tour! It is $62.95 per person plus tax. All food and moonshine is included in the price.

I have to call back and give them a credit card number in order to reserve our date, but we don't have to pay until the day of the tour.

Just something to consider. Let me know if this is something you'd like me to call and reserve.

Good news!!

Hello friends,

I e-mailed the three cabins last night, explained that 4 couples were going and we were celebrating 3 birthdays. I explained that I used to be a property manager and I know that a rented cabin is better than a vacant one and that we had narrowed it down to three cabins, but were trying to see if we could get a better rate. Here's the good news...... Mountain Laurel Lodge's owner responded and gave us a 20% discount!! Amy and Chris both had this one in their top 3.

This brings the total including taxes and fees to $1045.95. It was $299 per night per couple, and now it will be $261.48 per couple!!

I would have to pay $392.37 today, and the remaining $653.58 on September 1st.

I am thrilled that the gave us a discount. Each couple would owe me $98.09 now and then $163.39 on September 1st.

I am happy to call and book it today and already have the money in the bank, as long as everyone can pay me back this weekend. Cash preferrably, our bank is in Lexington and it's a pain in the butt.

Also, I trust all of you so this probably goes without saying, but if I'm going to pay up front and everyone pay me back, I just need to make sure that I have everyone's 100% commitment. If someone backs out, I don't want myself or anyone else to be stuck with the extra cost.

In order to get this discount, the owner directed me to go through the rental company. I've already spoken to them and I'm ready to book as soon as you all tell me you're ready!

Mountain Laurel Lodge

Yikes! $$$$

I'm having a hard time going to sleep, I am so stressed out about this. We all agreed on a cabin, The Lodge at Raccoon Hollow. I was prepared to book it and then realized they charge an additional $400 refundable deposit that they hold until after our stay. Also, the entire total plus the deposit is due in full upon booking. This means that I would have to pay $1442 tomorrow!! It is stressing me out! It would also mean that everyone else would need to pay their amount in full, now.

The next two cabins down on the last list do not charge a deposit and only a portion of the payment is due now. So we'd all just have to pay a portion now, and they wouldn't be holding an extra $400.

I'm so sorry, and I hope you all can understand. I would think paying an unexpected $1442 tomorrow would put a strain on any of us. If someone else wants to book it and pay that amount, I will be happy to pay my portion, but I'm just not comfortable spending that much all up front to book it. I'm really sorry. If we can agree on a second option, I'll be happy to book it and everyone can just give me their portion of the downpayment.

Cabin results

Everyone has made their top choices in cabins, and everyone had different picks. There are four that two of you had in common, so I've listed those below. Now we just need to narrow it down to one cabin and get it booked.

Here's how the votes came out:

Sharon
1. The Lodge at Raccoon Hollow
2. Picturesque
3. Mountain Blessings

Amy
1.Mountain Laurel Lodge
2. Mountain Blessings
3. Bear Creek Crossing
4. Bear Slide

Chris
1. The Lodge at Raccoon Hollow
2. Bear Slide
3. Mountain Laurel Lodge

**The price of Bear Slide went from $269.04 per couple yesterday to $300.79 per couple today. Crazy! Another reason we need to pick one and book it fast.

Whatever you think would be easiest to make a group decision. Maybe if everyone eliminated two and picked two and we could go from there?

The Lodge at Raccoon Hollow

The Lodge at Raccoon Hollow

$260.51 per couple

Mountain Laurel Lodge

Mountain Laurel Lodge

$299.32 per couple

Mountain Blessings

Mountain Blessings

$271.66 per couple

Bear Slide

Bear Slide

$300.79 per couple

Cabins

I've done my best to find as many suitable options as possible. Hopefully one of these will work. They range in price from $200-$300 per couple, including all taxes and fees. Most, if not all of them are listed as rental by owner. The locations vary from Pigeon Forge to Gatlinburg to Sevierville. Take a look and let me know what you think. It may be easier to have everyone eliminate 3 or 4 and then we can work with what is left. I tried to make sure every couple had their own bathroom and that there was ample seating and space to hang out. Parking is something I tried to take into account as well, although sometimes that's hard to determine. Can't wait to hear what you all think!

There is a link below every picture that will take you to the rental site, so you can see more of the cabins.

*Keep in mind that if there is a community pool, it will be closed because we're going after Labor Day.

Bear Slide

Bear Slide

Located in Black Bear Falls, a log home community in Gatlinburg. 4 king bedrooms, all with en suite bathrooms. $269.04 per couple, including taxes and fees. This cabin is listed on Homeaway, which means we would rent directly from the owner. 

Bear Creek Crossing

Bear Creek Crossing

Located in the gated resort of Bear Creek Crossing in Sevierville. 4 king bedrooms, each with their own private bathroom. $233.93 per couple, including taxes and fees. This cabin is listed on Homeaway, which means we would rent directly from the owner.

Lodge at Raccoon Hollow

Lodge at Raccoon Hollow

Located in Sevierville. 3 king bedrooms with en suite bathrooms and 1 queen with a full bath right outside. $260.51 per couple, including taxes and fees. This cabin is also listed on Homeaway, meaning we would rent directly from the owner.

Smoky Mountain Heaven IV

Smoky Mountain Heaven IV

Located in Gatlinburg, close to the main strip. 4 king master suites, each with a jaccuzi tub. $246 per couple, including taxes and fees. This cabin is listed on Homeway as well. Great price, pretty cabin, but the kitchen space is small and I wonder about parking. Still liked it enough to keep it in the running though.

Mountain Laurel Lodge

Mountain Laurel Lodge

Located in Sevierville. Ample parking for 7 vehicles. 4 king bedrooms, each with their own bathroom. The outdoor hot tub is designed for 8 people. $299.32 per couple, including taxes and fees. Also listed on Homeaway.

Venture

Venture

I named this one, it didn't have a name! Located in Pigeon Forge. 3 king masters and 1 queen master, all with en suite bathrooms. It is a 5 bedroom, but one of those rooms is bunk beds. $255.75 per couple, including taxes and fees. Listed on Homeaway.

Picturesque

Picturesque

Located in Sevierville. 3 king bedrooms and 1 queen bedroom (also queen bunk beds which I believe to be in the loft). There are 4 full baths, although I can't confirm that each bedroom has a bath attached. Love the outdoor seating area. May be a little further out than some of the other cabins, but it's definitely budget friendly. $201.39 per couple, including taxes and fees. Listed on homeaway.

Smoky Bear Manor

Smoky Bear Manor

Located in Smoky Cove Resort in Sevierville. It was originally one of the 5 bedroom options I had saved when I was looking for 5 couples. It's really nice, so I kept it in the running for now. 5 bedrooms and 5.5 baths, although it doesn't specify that every bedroom has an attached bathroom. Definitely enough seating and space for everyone in this one. $292 per couple, including taxes and fees. Listed on homeaway.

Mountain Blessings 

Mountain Blessings

Located in Bear Creek Crossing resort in Sevierville. 4 king bedrooms all with attached bathrooms. $271.06 per couple, including taxes and fees. Listed on homeaway.