Hedy
<font color=blue>I'm <s>22</s> 27 and I still kind
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2006
Well, hello there. I'm Heather, Hedy on these boards and elsewhere on the Internet. I'm a 23 year old Disney (and Disney Planning) addict. I live with my mother and two cats, Oscar and Isabelle.
I graduated from college last year. Some people, once they reach a certain level of maturity, decide they want a dog. Or to live in New York. Me? I decided I wanted to go to WDW every other year. So after my fabulous trip for Spring Break* last year, I decided I wanted to go down in Early December of 2007.
WhenBut when to go? There were too slightly large issues-1) I wanted to avoid the dreaded Pop Warner week and 2)The appearance of my dad's death day. I hate the fact that it keeps on coming up in my planning, because I feel like I'm attention seeking, but it's kind of a fact of life. And, his death day (3 years!) falls neatly in the midst of my chosen dates-12/8-12/15. He would want me to go. So I picked the second week in December.
Who was I going with? My friends are either not into WDW, or doing silly things like getting their master's, or can't afford it. So I asked my mother, known to those of you who read the trip reportette from my July NYC trip as MamaKat. I believe the conversation went something like this:
Hedy: Mom, when I go to Disney world next December, do you want to come?
Mom: It's January. I don't know.
Hedy: Ok, I'll add you to the room only reservation until you decide.
Where were we staying As evidenced by my ticker, I have stayed at a wide variety of WDW resorts...both POR AND Dixie Landings. (LOL) So I was determined to NOT stay at POR this time. But where to stay? POFQ would be ok, CBR and CSR don't appeal to me (CBR is too big, and the conventioneers at CSR, plus the fact that I've lived in Mexico, make CSR unappealing to me). How about a deluxe? My brother (hereafter referred to as YoungestDB) and DSIL (DisneyMSF on the boards) heart AKL something fierce, but IMO, if I'm paying for a deluxe, I want an option for transport other than buses. How about WL? Same price point as AKL, lovely theming. I called CRO. They had an almighty standard view, but no AAA discount, pricing the lodge out of my budget. I booked the room only anyway, just in case money fell from the sky or WL had an AAA rate available. I decided to make contingency plans..what about...the Dolphin...close to Epcot, not as pricy as WL...and they offer teacher/government discounts. MamaKat is a retired teacher who gets her paystub from the Commonwealth of MA, so I decided to call the Dolphin to see if they extended to retirees. Nope, they do not, but AAA had good rates. So I had two rooms booked, and 11 months to make my decision. And I flipped and I flopped-the Samantha Brown special made me flip towards WL, NMAmy's TR flopped me towards Dolphin. I hoped to make enough money on Sunshine Rewards (SR) and the now-defunct CashDuck to make up the difference.
Then I got an e-mail from Chase with a special offer for Disney Card Holders. I called them as soon as I got home from work. No luck getting WL, but if I tried POFQ-the savings would be ridiculous-like trip insurance+tickets+room would be less than just a room at either WL or Dolphin. I was in . I left a voicemail for MamaKat, who has pretended she has a say in WDW planning since I was 9** and we were off. We were staying all the way across the street-we were really living it up.
What to do I had a few goals on this trip: 1. Eat a Character meal not at Chef Mickey's (I had a less than magical experience there last year) 2. See the American Adventure (I've never seen it) 3. Go to MVMCP. I've never been to any WDW party (as I've always gone peak), but YoungestDB*** and DisneyMSF, as well as MiddleDB and his DW and their boys ElderNephew and YoungerNephew have greatly enjoyed MNSSHP. So I planned on doing that one night.
How was I going to get there. For me, this is a no brainer-I <3 Jet Blue. I got my tickets a week after the fares came out.
Coming up next, ADR's ahoy
* Things I learned during my Spring Break trip last year:
1. Just because that brand of flip-flops suited you fine in DLR last year, does not mean you can get a new pair and wander all over WDW willy-nilly
2. Heat rash is real. Pack cortisone.
3. Ladies, if you have an RX you need to take at a certain time every day...TAKE IT ON TIME AT WDW. Ahem.
**When we were planning that trip, I devoured every guidebook I could. We got there, and I found out that somehow my dad had told the travel agent I was 10 (as I turned 9 mid-planning, he probably told the TA I was nine, then mentioned I'd had a birthday a month later.) See also: why I planned our cruise the next year.
***They're not coming with me, but as they will more than likely be mentioned again and it's easiest to explain once: Hedy's family 101:
I have three half brothers, all of whom are older than I am. We have:
OldestDB and DSIL, as well as DNiece13
MiddleDB and DSIL, who have ElderNephew12 and YoungerNephew8
YoungestDB and his DW, Disney MSF
Pre-trip
Chapter 2: Pictures, plans and to-do
Chapter 3: Coinstar (OMG 3 months!)
Chapter 4: Worries ahoy
Chapter 5: MamaKat and tinkering my plans
Chapter 6: Paid in Full
Chapter 7: Yuletide Fantasy Tour, or Why my family rules
Chapter 8: DME, and yet another To do list
Chapter 9: Doc, glorious docs
Chapter 10: One month!
Chapter 11: MVMCP: Input wanted
Chapter 12: Needless exposition, or how I learned to stop worrying and love the Yule
Chapter 13: The Obligatory pre-trip trip to Target
Chapter 14: Would this be a pre-trip report if my ADR's didn't change?
Chapter 15: TWO WEEKS!
Chapter 16: In which I am amazed by human kindness, and save money
Chapter 17: Single Digit Dance
Chapter 18: Attitude
Chapter 19: Soapboxing re Pixar
Chapter 20: I'm too excited to sleep!
Actual Trip Report
Chapter 1: The Journey is the Destination
Chapter 2: Welcome to the Magic Kingdom
Chapter 3: A Broccoli post, or Epcot
Chapter 4: Animal Kingdom
Chapter 5: Tusker House Review and Boing, boing
Chapter 6: Lights, lights,action
Chapter 7: Tonga Toast and Epcot
Chapter 8: Two long lines, but a Very Merry Night
Chapter 9: Yuletide Fantasy Tour, pt I-contains spoilers!
Chapter 10: Yuletide Fantasy Tour, pt. II
Chapter 11: DTD and PI
Chapter 12: EMH and...a dream?
Chapter 13: Epcot and Le Cellier
Chapter 14: Magic Kingdom
Chapter 15: AK, Boma and DTD
Chapter 16: Last Day-1900 Park Fare, and our last trip to MGM ever!
Chapter 17: The End
I graduated from college last year. Some people, once they reach a certain level of maturity, decide they want a dog. Or to live in New York. Me? I decided I wanted to go to WDW every other year. So after my fabulous trip for Spring Break* last year, I decided I wanted to go down in Early December of 2007.
WhenBut when to go? There were too slightly large issues-1) I wanted to avoid the dreaded Pop Warner week and 2)The appearance of my dad's death day. I hate the fact that it keeps on coming up in my planning, because I feel like I'm attention seeking, but it's kind of a fact of life. And, his death day (3 years!) falls neatly in the midst of my chosen dates-12/8-12/15. He would want me to go. So I picked the second week in December.
Who was I going with? My friends are either not into WDW, or doing silly things like getting their master's, or can't afford it. So I asked my mother, known to those of you who read the trip reportette from my July NYC trip as MamaKat. I believe the conversation went something like this:
Hedy: Mom, when I go to Disney world next December, do you want to come?
Mom: It's January. I don't know.
Hedy: Ok, I'll add you to the room only reservation until you decide.
Where were we staying As evidenced by my ticker, I have stayed at a wide variety of WDW resorts...both POR AND Dixie Landings. (LOL) So I was determined to NOT stay at POR this time. But where to stay? POFQ would be ok, CBR and CSR don't appeal to me (CBR is too big, and the conventioneers at CSR, plus the fact that I've lived in Mexico, make CSR unappealing to me). How about a deluxe? My brother (hereafter referred to as YoungestDB) and DSIL (DisneyMSF on the boards) heart AKL something fierce, but IMO, if I'm paying for a deluxe, I want an option for transport other than buses. How about WL? Same price point as AKL, lovely theming. I called CRO. They had an almighty standard view, but no AAA discount, pricing the lodge out of my budget. I booked the room only anyway, just in case money fell from the sky or WL had an AAA rate available. I decided to make contingency plans..what about...the Dolphin...close to Epcot, not as pricy as WL...and they offer teacher/government discounts. MamaKat is a retired teacher who gets her paystub from the Commonwealth of MA, so I decided to call the Dolphin to see if they extended to retirees. Nope, they do not, but AAA had good rates. So I had two rooms booked, and 11 months to make my decision. And I flipped and I flopped-the Samantha Brown special made me flip towards WL, NMAmy's TR flopped me towards Dolphin. I hoped to make enough money on Sunshine Rewards (SR) and the now-defunct CashDuck to make up the difference.
Then I got an e-mail from Chase with a special offer for Disney Card Holders. I called them as soon as I got home from work. No luck getting WL, but if I tried POFQ-the savings would be ridiculous-like trip insurance+tickets+room would be less than just a room at either WL or Dolphin. I was in . I left a voicemail for MamaKat, who has pretended she has a say in WDW planning since I was 9** and we were off. We were staying all the way across the street-we were really living it up.
What to do I had a few goals on this trip: 1. Eat a Character meal not at Chef Mickey's (I had a less than magical experience there last year) 2. See the American Adventure (I've never seen it) 3. Go to MVMCP. I've never been to any WDW party (as I've always gone peak), but YoungestDB*** and DisneyMSF, as well as MiddleDB and his DW and their boys ElderNephew and YoungerNephew have greatly enjoyed MNSSHP. So I planned on doing that one night.
How was I going to get there. For me, this is a no brainer-I <3 Jet Blue. I got my tickets a week after the fares came out.
Coming up next, ADR's ahoy
* Things I learned during my Spring Break trip last year:
1. Just because that brand of flip-flops suited you fine in DLR last year, does not mean you can get a new pair and wander all over WDW willy-nilly
2. Heat rash is real. Pack cortisone.
3. Ladies, if you have an RX you need to take at a certain time every day...TAKE IT ON TIME AT WDW. Ahem.
**When we were planning that trip, I devoured every guidebook I could. We got there, and I found out that somehow my dad had told the travel agent I was 10 (as I turned 9 mid-planning, he probably told the TA I was nine, then mentioned I'd had a birthday a month later.) See also: why I planned our cruise the next year.
***They're not coming with me, but as they will more than likely be mentioned again and it's easiest to explain once: Hedy's family 101:
I have three half brothers, all of whom are older than I am. We have:
OldestDB and DSIL, as well as DNiece13
MiddleDB and DSIL, who have ElderNephew12 and YoungerNephew8
YoungestDB and his DW, Disney MSF
Pre-trip
Chapter 2: Pictures, plans and to-do
Chapter 3: Coinstar (OMG 3 months!)
Chapter 4: Worries ahoy
Chapter 5: MamaKat and tinkering my plans
Chapter 6: Paid in Full
Chapter 7: Yuletide Fantasy Tour, or Why my family rules
Chapter 8: DME, and yet another To do list
Chapter 9: Doc, glorious docs
Chapter 10: One month!
Chapter 11: MVMCP: Input wanted
Chapter 12: Needless exposition, or how I learned to stop worrying and love the Yule
Chapter 13: The Obligatory pre-trip trip to Target
Chapter 14: Would this be a pre-trip report if my ADR's didn't change?
Chapter 15: TWO WEEKS!
Chapter 16: In which I am amazed by human kindness, and save money
Chapter 17: Single Digit Dance
Chapter 18: Attitude
Chapter 19: Soapboxing re Pixar
Chapter 20: I'm too excited to sleep!
Actual Trip Report
Chapter 1: The Journey is the Destination
Chapter 2: Welcome to the Magic Kingdom
Chapter 3: A Broccoli post, or Epcot
Chapter 4: Animal Kingdom
Chapter 5: Tusker House Review and Boing, boing
Chapter 6: Lights, lights,action
Chapter 7: Tonga Toast and Epcot
Chapter 8: Two long lines, but a Very Merry Night
Chapter 9: Yuletide Fantasy Tour, pt I-contains spoilers!
Chapter 10: Yuletide Fantasy Tour, pt. II
Chapter 11: DTD and PI
Chapter 12: EMH and...a dream?
Chapter 13: Epcot and Le Cellier
Chapter 14: Magic Kingdom
Chapter 15: AK, Boma and DTD
Chapter 16: Last Day-1900 Park Fare, and our last trip to MGM ever!
Chapter 17: The End