_chill_
10-02-2006, 06:20 PM
It was the best of times… it was the worst of times… Oh wait, we’re going to Disney World. It’s all good! ( :banana: )
Here’s the pre, pre-show:
I’ve been lurking here on the DIS for over a year… absorbing knowledge, interjecting some now-and-then, and generally using it to resurrect memories of Disney by reading other people’s ramblings. This will be my first, and probably last, trip report (hey! It’s taken me a year to get this far, right? :) ). As many have already voiced, I’m doing this for myself (to draw out and relive the magic), but mainly for my daughter (to put in her time capsule… well, really just a large popcorn tin with mementos :teeth: ) I’ll admit I’m not the best writer… I can get my point across, but I’m more adept at writing technical jargon than engaging, entertaining, banter. I really do have a pretty good sense of humor (kind of immature sometimes), but it doesn’t necessarily come out on a keyboard. :badpc:
I’ve been a huge Disney fan ever since my first trip in ’93. I can’t remember whose idea it was, but I believe my current ex-wife :rolleyes: suggested and probably facilitated it. I didn’t become an OCD WDW über planner until the following trip, but I was hooked (see picture of my itinerary booklet from last year). There’s something to be said for an impromptu trip, but I quickly learned that planning increases and lengthens the anticipation, not to mention things usually go smoother when there’s a plan. I’m a ‘prepare for the worst, expect the best’ person, so when things go awry I’m not fazed, and can quickly readjust. That first trip was a turning point in many ‘Disney ways’… While there, we attended a DVC presentation and were so enamored, we bought an OKW package (remember the free park passes!) At that point, it was a yearly (and sometimes more) pilgrimage WDW.
Enough with my personal life… Everybody neat and pretty? Then on with the show…
Cast of characters:
Me: Huge fan of everything Disney. Big kid, computer geek, car nut, and Parrothead. My professional life only facilitates my obsession with having fun.
DD13: Lover of all things living, inquisitive to the nth level, future paleontologist, and Purdue professor. Not the obsessed Disney fan as her father, but tolerates it as long as he doesn’t embarrass her too much.
Dates: October 17th-22nd
Where: CBR
Extras: DDP (Princess breakfast, Fantasmic! Dinner @ Mama’s, Rose & Crown, and Spoodles), Trail ride. We know it’s too much food (I’ve done my homework), but we want to try something new (plus we have a refrigerator in our room for leftovers :thumbsup2 )
October 2006 trip pre-show:
Now for the past few years, I’ve made a ritual out of whisking my DD13 down to WDW for Fall break. This serves several purposes… her birthday usually coincides with this time, she’s out of school for 2.5 days, MNSSHP, AND I get to go to Disney with my favorite girl princess: . This year would be no exception. As opposed to previous years where I tried to keep it a secret, she had come to expect it now (hey, her Dad is the biggest Disney fan she knows, right?), so it was merely a matter of determining how to fit everything we wanted to do in 3 days (this was going to take some creative scheduling). Previous trips had invoked the wrath of Mommy (my ex) by returning late night on Sunday (and DD had to go to school the next morning) This year we would come back Saturday night, thus giving her a complete day to decompress and rest before the rigors of Monday morning school. I set out on my mission several months early and began laying the ground work, researching flights, room rates, events, etc. I was able to secure some great flights with AirTran leaving Tuesday afternoon and returning to Indy Saturday evening for a decent price. There wasn’t much to pick from for room discounts, but I wanted to stay in a resort we hadn’t been to yet. Last year we were at POFQ and loved it, but I’m a Gemini and like change, so I booked CBR online (AAA couldn’t beat the price, so… why not?) The foundation for the trip had been laid, and now while it gelled I would begin putting together the itinerary and details (each day’s hours, ADRs, MNSSHP tix, etc.) A few weeks passed and I happened to be on the DIS when I read about a new MYW Disney VISA promotion! (hmmm) Armed with the discount code I called Disney Reservations and inquired… Why yes, I would save significantly over room-only reservations. The very nice CM hooked me up, and basically we came out with free DDP! (not really ‘free’… but with the discount, the DDP add-on equaled what I had already paid for room-only! :woohoo: ) I had never done the DDP, and had heard it was way too much food, but what the heck… what better time to sample all the best Disney has to offer in food, than to have it included (besides, we had a refrigerator waiting back in our room for leftovers popcorn:: ) OK, so a little bit of pixie dust had already appeared and we weren’t even close to traveling. It’s amazing how these things sometimes ‘play out’, especially given my next ‘discovery’…
(What do you mean my flight times have changed?!? :furious: )
Here’s the pre, pre-show:
I’ve been lurking here on the DIS for over a year… absorbing knowledge, interjecting some now-and-then, and generally using it to resurrect memories of Disney by reading other people’s ramblings. This will be my first, and probably last, trip report (hey! It’s taken me a year to get this far, right? :) ). As many have already voiced, I’m doing this for myself (to draw out and relive the magic), but mainly for my daughter (to put in her time capsule… well, really just a large popcorn tin with mementos :teeth: ) I’ll admit I’m not the best writer… I can get my point across, but I’m more adept at writing technical jargon than engaging, entertaining, banter. I really do have a pretty good sense of humor (kind of immature sometimes), but it doesn’t necessarily come out on a keyboard. :badpc:
I’ve been a huge Disney fan ever since my first trip in ’93. I can’t remember whose idea it was, but I believe my current ex-wife :rolleyes: suggested and probably facilitated it. I didn’t become an OCD WDW über planner until the following trip, but I was hooked (see picture of my itinerary booklet from last year). There’s something to be said for an impromptu trip, but I quickly learned that planning increases and lengthens the anticipation, not to mention things usually go smoother when there’s a plan. I’m a ‘prepare for the worst, expect the best’ person, so when things go awry I’m not fazed, and can quickly readjust. That first trip was a turning point in many ‘Disney ways’… While there, we attended a DVC presentation and were so enamored, we bought an OKW package (remember the free park passes!) At that point, it was a yearly (and sometimes more) pilgrimage WDW.
Enough with my personal life… Everybody neat and pretty? Then on with the show…
Cast of characters:
Me: Huge fan of everything Disney. Big kid, computer geek, car nut, and Parrothead. My professional life only facilitates my obsession with having fun.
DD13: Lover of all things living, inquisitive to the nth level, future paleontologist, and Purdue professor. Not the obsessed Disney fan as her father, but tolerates it as long as he doesn’t embarrass her too much.
Dates: October 17th-22nd
Where: CBR
Extras: DDP (Princess breakfast, Fantasmic! Dinner @ Mama’s, Rose & Crown, and Spoodles), Trail ride. We know it’s too much food (I’ve done my homework), but we want to try something new (plus we have a refrigerator in our room for leftovers :thumbsup2 )
October 2006 trip pre-show:
Now for the past few years, I’ve made a ritual out of whisking my DD13 down to WDW for Fall break. This serves several purposes… her birthday usually coincides with this time, she’s out of school for 2.5 days, MNSSHP, AND I get to go to Disney with my favorite girl princess: . This year would be no exception. As opposed to previous years where I tried to keep it a secret, she had come to expect it now (hey, her Dad is the biggest Disney fan she knows, right?), so it was merely a matter of determining how to fit everything we wanted to do in 3 days (this was going to take some creative scheduling). Previous trips had invoked the wrath of Mommy (my ex) by returning late night on Sunday (and DD had to go to school the next morning) This year we would come back Saturday night, thus giving her a complete day to decompress and rest before the rigors of Monday morning school. I set out on my mission several months early and began laying the ground work, researching flights, room rates, events, etc. I was able to secure some great flights with AirTran leaving Tuesday afternoon and returning to Indy Saturday evening for a decent price. There wasn’t much to pick from for room discounts, but I wanted to stay in a resort we hadn’t been to yet. Last year we were at POFQ and loved it, but I’m a Gemini and like change, so I booked CBR online (AAA couldn’t beat the price, so… why not?) The foundation for the trip had been laid, and now while it gelled I would begin putting together the itinerary and details (each day’s hours, ADRs, MNSSHP tix, etc.) A few weeks passed and I happened to be on the DIS when I read about a new MYW Disney VISA promotion! (hmmm) Armed with the discount code I called Disney Reservations and inquired… Why yes, I would save significantly over room-only reservations. The very nice CM hooked me up, and basically we came out with free DDP! (not really ‘free’… but with the discount, the DDP add-on equaled what I had already paid for room-only! :woohoo: ) I had never done the DDP, and had heard it was way too much food, but what the heck… what better time to sample all the best Disney has to offer in food, than to have it included (besides, we had a refrigerator waiting back in our room for leftovers popcorn:: ) OK, so a little bit of pixie dust had already appeared and we weren’t even close to traveling. It’s amazing how these things sometimes ‘play out’, especially given my next ‘discovery’…
(What do you mean my flight times have changed?!? :furious: )