13.1 Before I Hit 40 - Running my 1st 1/2 Marathon at Disney uptd 09/30

[Flossbolna]

I can understand your problem... BUT do you really need to stay at one of the official resorts? Of course if they offer a really good rate...

But there still might be the chance of regular discounts coming out anyway and I think the new half marathon won't get the same crowds as the WDW marathon. So hopefully some code would come out until then.

And regarding transportation: I understand it is mainly for after the party? Why don't just get a taxi back to your resort? It won't be more than 20 $ and you don't have to wait around for a bus. I am pretty sure that there will be taxis available and otherwise you could just call on, couldn't you? And of they don't let you get a taxi at Epcot, just jump on one of the busses to an official resort and get a taxi from there!

[If U Had Wings]

Originally Posted by Lady Lallie

I think you should really spoil yourself on this trip. Go BIG!

This is why I love my Dis friends so much. Always the enablers!

Originally Posted by Flossbolna

I can understand your problem... BUT do you really need to stay at one of the official resorts? Of course if they offer a really good rate...

But there still might be the chance of regular discounts coming out anyway and I think the new half marathon won't get the same crowds as the WDW marathon. So hopefully some code would come out until then.

And regarding transportation: I understand it is mainly for after the party? Why don't just get a taxi back to your resort? It won't be more than 20 $ and you don't have to wait around for a bus. I am pretty sure that there will be taxis available and otherwise you could just call on, couldn't you? And of they don't let you get a taxi at Epcot, just jump on one of the busses to an official resort and get a taxi from there!

Usually the rates they give are pretty good, but I'm not going to discount anything until I see what they offer. I really keep leaning towards Boardwalk again if a good rate comes along. I have the chance for an AP rate now too, so hopefully something will come up. I'm hoping I can manage to do the Yacht Club possibly. I've toyed with the idea of another split stay, but as we are thinking of doing a few days at Universal this trip I don't really want to change hotels 3 times.

We might chose to rent a car this trip anyways, so if we do the transportation won't be a problem.

[MRYPPNS]

Wings! I'm really proud of you for wanting to run a 13.1! I don't want to walk to the mail box.

I'm beginning to think that I'm the only one not planning a trip right now.

[TarzansKat]

Don't torture yourself, hon. Just wait, and see what the rates are. Then, follow your heart. This is a special trip and you should stay somewhere you really know you'll enjoy.

[If U Had Wings]

Originally Posted by MRYPPNS

Wings! I'm really proud of you for wanting to run a 13.1! I don't want to walk to the mail box.

I'm beginning to think that I'm the only one not planning a trip right now.

I call it running, but really most people walk faster than I run. I never thought I'd ever want to run anywhere if I wasn't being chased by Freddy Kruger.

You know that means you have to start planning one right?

Originally Posted by TarzansKat

Don't torture yourself, hon. Just wait, and see what the rates are. Then, follow your heart. This is a special trip and you should stay somewhere you really know you'll enjoy.

I'm just really, really impatient. I really would love to stay at an Epcot resort. One trip really sold me on the location.

[All7OfUs]

Originally Posted by If U Had Wings

This is why I love my Dis friends so much. Always the enablers!

I was going to say the same thing, but Leslie beat me to it

[If U Had Wings]

Originally Posted by All7OfUs

I was going to say the same thing, but Leslie beat me to it

Enablers all of you!!!

[TarzansKat]

Well, I hate to sway you either way, but I am rather partial to the Yacht Club. While it's not my favorite deluxe, it's a very nice resort. And I do love the Epcot area resorts as well. That International Gateway is something to be considered.

[If U Had Wings]

I tried to update yesterday only to find out that I couldn't post anything to my ptr. Luckily I'm back to normal again today.

Plans for my trip have been going slowly, and by that I mean not at all. I'm trying to hold out until Feb. 1 when Disney releases the discounted rates for race partcipants for the resorts. My other big issue is to figure out how many days we are going to do at Universal Studios. I hate giving up Disney days, but I did promise my BFF I'd do Universal this trip once Harry Potter land opens. I would have prefered to do Universal first, but with the race being on a Saturday night it's going to be easier to work the days in at the end.

Training has been going slowly as well, as I got sick for about the 4th or 5th time this season. It's been in my lungs, and even walking too fast triggers awful uncontrollable coughing sessions. I haven't done anything in a week. Today I'm going to try my Zumba class, so hopefully if it goes well I'll be back to training next week.

I have been moving right along with plans for my bonus trip at the end of February though! Since all is quiet around here for the October trip I'm going to combine my very tiny PTR report for my Feb trip here. Just because.

I haven't mentioned it on this PTR yet, but I'm heading down to the world with my parents for 5 days at the end of next month before heading further south for a visit with my grandmother. I was only originally planning on being there for a day before visiting my grandmother, but let's just say that my mother and father are a couple of born Disers at heart. They enabled me right into going.

They are covering the cost of the hotel room, and in exchange I get to do all the planning. Not a bad deal at all, especially as it would kill me to turn over the trip planning. Somewhere along the line, my parents have lost all interest in planning of any kind. My father, who once wouldn't let anyone even look at his plans, now just gives me dates, and his credit card and tells me to do it all for him. I get a good laugh out of it.

Booking the room was first priority, and when traveling with my parents the easiest part of a Disney trip to handle. They are interested in staying in one place, and one place only.

POFQ

They'd love a deluxe, but don't want to spend the money on it. I suggested trying a value this time, or one of the other moderates. Nope, nope, nope. For them it's POFQ. I'm sure they'd pick somewhere else if they had to, but as long as it's available they have no intention of going anywhere else. They've tried POR before, but they found it too big. They love the small size of POFQ, so I don't really push too hard to get them to try another larger moderate. Luckily it was available, and it took just minutes to book the stay.

Next up - how I managed to screw up my flight reservations to the tune of $100.

[micandminforever]

I love the beignets at POFQ.

[TarzansKat]

Glad you're combining pre-trippies, I love hearing about both. I think with training, as long as you keep doing something, but don't push yourself, you'll stay on track. It's really tough when you're sick, I totally empathize. I am really into working out, at least three times a week, but when I got pregnant and went through first trimester nausea and exhaustion, that totally fell by the wayside. I try to do extra laps in the grocery store and park farther away when I run errands. At least it's something.

[MRYPPNS]

Thank god you like POFQ!!

[If U Had Wings]

Originally Posted by micandminforever

I love the beignets at POFQ.

They are one of my mom's favorite things. Every night when we were at POFQ, we'd have to stop there at the end of the night for coffee and beignets. She's already talking about them.

Originally Posted by TarzansKat

Glad you're combining pre-trippies, I love hearing about both. I think with training, as long as you keep doing something, but don't push yourself, you'll stay on track. It's really tough when you're sick, I totally empathize. I am really into working out, at least three times a week, but when I got pregnant and went through first trimester nausea and exhaustion, that totally fell by the wayside. I try to do extra laps in the grocery store and park farther away when I run errands. At least it's something.

I don't blame you at all. I can't imagine that much of the exhaustion feeling. Last night I made it through my Zumba class without any major coughing fit, and I slept through the night as well. I'm hoping it's a sign that I'm on the mend. I'll try my Zumba class again on Saturday, and if all goes well I'll get back to running Sunday.

I too like to park a little further away in parking lots to give myself a little bit of a workout.

Originally Posted by MRYPPNS

Thank god you like POFQ!!

I know. They won't even consider another option. I'm looking forward to staying there again. I missed it a bit my last trip.

[If U Had Wings]

After booking the room at POFQ, next up was airfare. A bigger challenge since it entailed multiple airports and days. After playing around with dates we finally decided to fly out on a Friday as opposed to a Saturday. The flights were a bit cheaper and worked out better for us.

I had played around with just about every concievable plan for getting us to the airport in the most economical way. Normally we love to fly out of White Plains, but with all of us going there was no one to drop us off at the airport. Parking there is very limited and very expensive. Not something we wanted to take a chance on. Car service was another option. Not bad on the way down when there were 3 of us, but I really didn't want to spend the $150 for a return ride home alone.

I priced out other airports as well. We could have flown Southwest out of Hartford, where parking is cheap and plentiful, but the flights were so much more expensive. (Which really surprised me. I've always heard such good things about Southwest, but whenever I look they are much more expensive than the Jet Blue or Air Tran). There were some good priced flights out of La Guardia and JFK, but the price bounded right back up once you figured in parking or car service.

In the end White Plains was going to be our best bet, with an overnight stay and go package the night before at a local La Quinta Inn. For $110 we got an overnight stay and up to 10 days of parking with shuttle service to and from the airport. Not bad.

Air Tran used to be our airline of choice, but last year they got rid of all but one non-stop flight a day to Orlando. My mother flat out refuses to fly anything but non-stop to Florida. She hates flying anyways, and feels the flight is short enough that she doesn't want to stop mid-way there. So it was the one non-stop Air Tran flight at about 2pm, or a 6:30 am flight on Jet Blue, which was about $30 more than the Air Tran flight. We ultimately decieded to take the earlier flight so we don't lose a whole day. We'll be in Orlando by 9:30 am this way. Nearly a full day. Easy enough choice, we booked it and moved on to the return trips.

Flying home is where the difficulties started. I'll be returning March 7th from West Palm Beach, and my parents are returning on the 13th. We found them a great cheap mid day flight on Air Tran and booked it. (I'm very happy I won't be heading to the airport at the crack of dawn to pick them up).

Then it was time to book my return flight, and my screwing up to the cost of a $100 fee. All the flights for my trip home were much higher, so in order to keep my flight under $200 I had to book a 6:30 am flight home. I had looked up all the flight amounts earlier in the week, so I should have paid more attention when my Jet Blue flight was suddenly $30 cheaper. I didn't though and happily booked my flight home. I didn't want to waste any time and miss it before the price went up again.

A couple of hours later I was home looking over my flight information and came to a sickening feeling when I realized my mistake.

You ever notice how in February and March the dates fall on the same days of the week?

I should have. I booked my flight home for Sunday 2/7 instead of Sunday 3/7. Seriously, I wanted to cry. I had managed to book my return flight home before my trip to Florida. Fixable, but with a $100 fee. For a mistake I had made just 2 hours previously.

At least I only did it with my ticket. I didn't tell anyone in my family about the screw up, as it would be entertainment fodder for ages. I love my family, but screw ups don't die easily.

Next - can I do any better with ADR's at the last minute?

[All7OfUs]

Two whole posts to read tonight!! That's great!

For $110 bucks I'd say you got a great deal for a room AND parking. Nicely negotiated!

Did you try to talk to an agent and tell them of your mistake?? I wonder if they'd be fogiving and waive the fee?

That's funny your parents won't try another resort. I'd be excited to give them all a try at least once.