Gerweniel
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2005
- Messages
- 496
Reading back through my Disboards history I discovered my last trip reports were written in 2007! 
In case you are interested: 
https://www.disboards.com/threads/mistakes-made-lessons-learned-chapter-5-finale.1514769/
https://www.disboards.com/threads/d...t-of-a-wonderful-journey-update-1-10.1664010/
Although I have returned to Disney several times since then, I haven’t felt inclined to write a trip report, so I hope you indulge me on this brief, but magic-filled retelling of my amazing three-night soiree.
Bit of a back story. I read on some Disney fan site in March or April 2019 of Disney’s announcement that they were:
A) ending Illuminations and
B) going to change Spaceship Earth.
Please understand I am an EPCOT purist. I was talking to CM’s faces on TV screens to make restaurant reservations at Communicore. I rode Spaceship Earth when Walter Cronkite was the narrator, we rode and sang along with the REAL Dreamfinder! When the Universe of Energy was changed to Ellen’s Energy Adventure I gristled a bit. HOWEVER, I do understand change and for many of the attractions I appreciate the updates.
BUT, ending Illuminations made me very melancholy. It was a nighttime show that my boys and I always watched together, and I treasure those memories. My sons now live relatively far away and we can’t do our Disney trips as we once did. I felt very drawn to see the fireworks and hear Night Fire Dance one more time. My boyfriend is not a WDW fan, and had no interest in traveling, but puts up with my flights of fancy. So the seed of a solo trip plan began.
Sounds pretty easy right? – quick Epcot trip....well, not so much! I live in Upstate NY so flights are involved also I was in the middle of organizing a fabulous two week road trip out west in July that would require a lot of budgeting and expenditures. Even a three nighter to Disney as a solo is not inexpensive. Not to sound like a snob, but I will only stay at a Disney hotel when I am there and I get the dining plan. That is the way I roll -especially travelling solo.
So, here comes creative financing 101. I read about an online weight loss site that you make a bet that you’d lose a certain amount of weight in a specific amount of time. I researched it, seemed legit and signed up. I made a wager that would cover about 80% of my trip if I lost 40 pounds. If I lost the weight – the trip was on!
I lost the weight, got paid and paid off the trip!!! Now let the fun begin! Thanks for bearing with me thus far!
In case you are interested: https://www.disboards.com/threads/mistakes-made-lessons-learned-chapter-5-finale.1514769/
https://www.disboards.com/threads/d...t-of-a-wonderful-journey-update-1-10.1664010/
Although I have returned to Disney several times since then, I haven’t felt inclined to write a trip report, so I hope you indulge me on this brief, but magic-filled retelling of my amazing three-night soiree.
Bit of a back story. I read on some Disney fan site in March or April 2019 of Disney’s announcement that they were:
A) ending Illuminations and
B) going to change Spaceship Earth.
Please understand I am an EPCOT purist. I was talking to CM’s faces on TV screens to make restaurant reservations at Communicore. I rode Spaceship Earth when Walter Cronkite was the narrator, we rode and sang along with the REAL Dreamfinder! When the Universe of Energy was changed to Ellen’s Energy Adventure I gristled a bit. HOWEVER, I do understand change and for many of the attractions I appreciate the updates.
BUT, ending Illuminations made me very melancholy. It was a nighttime show that my boys and I always watched together, and I treasure those memories. My sons now live relatively far away and we can’t do our Disney trips as we once did. I felt very drawn to see the fireworks and hear Night Fire Dance one more time. My boyfriend is not a WDW fan, and had no interest in traveling, but puts up with my flights of fancy. So the seed of a solo trip plan began.
Sounds pretty easy right? – quick Epcot trip....well, not so much! I live in Upstate NY so flights are involved also I was in the middle of organizing a fabulous two week road trip out west in July that would require a lot of budgeting and expenditures. Even a three nighter to Disney as a solo is not inexpensive. Not to sound like a snob, but I will only stay at a Disney hotel when I am there and I get the dining plan. That is the way I roll -especially travelling solo.
So, here comes creative financing 101. I read about an online weight loss site that you make a bet that you’d lose a certain amount of weight in a specific amount of time. I researched it, seemed legit and signed up. I made a wager that would cover about 80% of my trip if I lost 40 pounds. If I lost the weight – the trip was on!
I lost the weight, got paid and paid off the trip!!! Now let the fun begin! Thanks for bearing with me thus far!
