MinnieDiva
Obsessive Trip Planner
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2008
Hi! I'm MinnieDiva (kim) and I have a Disney obsession. It's infectious, enough so that I managed to plague my husband (sean) with the same disease. For those spouses out there who long for such a mate, I'm here to let you know that it took me less than 15 years to accomplish this!
I'm here to illustrate that it is possible to plan and execute a fabulous adults-only 15th anniversary celebration! We're less than a week back from the Dream! I feel my tan fading as I write this....
With me, there is usually a backstory to get into my planning obsession, so bear with me as I preface this trip report. As my husband's leave schedule is planned far in advance, no trip is left to the last minute. In fact, it was about a year ago that we began thinking about this potential adults-only venture. After talking to DH about the possibility of doing something on our own, I called my dad and asked if we did do a trip, would he come up here and watch our DD (9). Other than a quick 2-day jaunt to Vegas for a reunion in 2009 (?? I think that is the year, and it was my monster in law who timed a trip out here for that), we've never gone on a vacation just the 2 of us.
So, dad was easy to get on board. Our daughter is to the age now where she's easy-going and helpful. Other than talking his ear off and constantly requesting frozen yogurt, it should be an easy week, right? Between school and swimming, her days are pretty full.
So, now what? What to do very active people do for a vacation? Hm. Um, duh? Disney, right? Glaringly obvious for me, but I needed to sell the husband on it. He's a fan, yes, but you have to make it worth his while...and throw in either alternative trips to other locations throughout the year or build in something for him during the trip in question. The answer became more obvious after our Florida trip last thanksgiving. We spent 4 days on WDW property, then joined our good friends Mindy and Jim for a week at their timeshare. We did the timeshare spiel, and bought into their "teaser" package that either gave us a week back there in the next 18 months or a down payment toward the big Kahuna. Knowing that we were looking at an anniversary trip the following September (last month), it seemed like a good solution. Right?
The other idea I had was to do the Wine and Dine 1/2 marathon, held last year on the last weekend of September for the 1st weekend of the F&W festival. Running, followed by food? And wine? Done! Sold to the highest bidder...or in this case, the husband! Now, I'm more of the runner than Sean is. If he had his druthers, he'd ride a bike. Not that he's not good at running, he just prefers the bike. Me, I'd fall off. I'm not fast, but he runs shorter distances. I figure it'd work out in the end, right?
Ok, in scrolling back thru what I've written, it occurs to me that the word "right" has overpopulated my text. I need to find a new word.
Continuing.
So, in planning Sean's vacation picks for 2012, I'm pretty sure I managed to find the dates for the Wine and Dine in the notes for the Disneyland 1/2 marathon from Sept 2011. Thank goodness for the Disboards to find data!! However, the race was completely changed. As in, the W&D was moved to November and the last weekend of the F&W festival. While that would be a much preferable time to go to FL, our picks were done and in the bag, and changes really weren't feasible at the time we found this out (which was in January, I think). BUT!!!! Another race, the Tower of Terror 10-miler was announced....an inaugural event (does that really even make a difference? probably not...)!!! Woot! Ok, back on board!!!
So where does the cruise come in? I'm getting there, really......but the husband in question just came home and this dialogue will have to continue at another time (tomorrow). In the meantime, if you want some background into my planning bliss, there's a link below to a pre-TR that tells more about my family and about Mindy and Jim, as they'll be in the story again here soon...
I'm here to illustrate that it is possible to plan and execute a fabulous adults-only 15th anniversary celebration! We're less than a week back from the Dream! I feel my tan fading as I write this....
With me, there is usually a backstory to get into my planning obsession, so bear with me as I preface this trip report. As my husband's leave schedule is planned far in advance, no trip is left to the last minute. In fact, it was about a year ago that we began thinking about this potential adults-only venture. After talking to DH about the possibility of doing something on our own, I called my dad and asked if we did do a trip, would he come up here and watch our DD (9). Other than a quick 2-day jaunt to Vegas for a reunion in 2009 (?? I think that is the year, and it was my monster in law who timed a trip out here for that), we've never gone on a vacation just the 2 of us.
So, dad was easy to get on board. Our daughter is to the age now where she's easy-going and helpful. Other than talking his ear off and constantly requesting frozen yogurt, it should be an easy week, right? Between school and swimming, her days are pretty full.
So, now what? What to do very active people do for a vacation? Hm. Um, duh? Disney, right? Glaringly obvious for me, but I needed to sell the husband on it. He's a fan, yes, but you have to make it worth his while...and throw in either alternative trips to other locations throughout the year or build in something for him during the trip in question. The answer became more obvious after our Florida trip last thanksgiving. We spent 4 days on WDW property, then joined our good friends Mindy and Jim for a week at their timeshare. We did the timeshare spiel, and bought into their "teaser" package that either gave us a week back there in the next 18 months or a down payment toward the big Kahuna. Knowing that we were looking at an anniversary trip the following September (last month), it seemed like a good solution. Right?
The other idea I had was to do the Wine and Dine 1/2 marathon, held last year on the last weekend of September for the 1st weekend of the F&W festival. Running, followed by food? And wine? Done! Sold to the highest bidder...or in this case, the husband! Now, I'm more of the runner than Sean is. If he had his druthers, he'd ride a bike. Not that he's not good at running, he just prefers the bike. Me, I'd fall off. I'm not fast, but he runs shorter distances. I figure it'd work out in the end, right?
Ok, in scrolling back thru what I've written, it occurs to me that the word "right" has overpopulated my text. I need to find a new word.
Continuing.
So, in planning Sean's vacation picks for 2012, I'm pretty sure I managed to find the dates for the Wine and Dine in the notes for the Disneyland 1/2 marathon from Sept 2011. Thank goodness for the Disboards to find data!! However, the race was completely changed. As in, the W&D was moved to November and the last weekend of the F&W festival. While that would be a much preferable time to go to FL, our picks were done and in the bag, and changes really weren't feasible at the time we found this out (which was in January, I think). BUT!!!! Another race, the Tower of Terror 10-miler was announced....an inaugural event (does that really even make a difference? probably not...)!!! Woot! Ok, back on board!!!
So where does the cruise come in? I'm getting there, really......but the husband in question just came home and this dialogue will have to continue at another time (tomorrow). In the meantime, if you want some background into my planning bliss, there's a link below to a pre-TR that tells more about my family and about Mindy and Jim, as they'll be in the story again here soon...