... and I am NOT happy!
After numerous consultations with all family members involved, and after doing much soul-searching, I have decided to go back to our original target of
Presidents' Week, 2012 for our next Disney vacation.
Another two months added to the ticker... Waaaaah!!
Christmas Week was so very tempting... the Castle Lights... the resort decorations... The Candlelight Processional... all of it. *Sigh*
Two things were nagging at me, however. First and foremost: the crowds. Level Ten with a capital "T." Not very smart when you have an autistic child along, even with the Guest Assistance Card to help with wait times.
The parks would be crowded... the restaurants would be crowded... the shops would be crowded. I can just imagine the over-stimulation day after day... poor Billy!
The second thing was: the extra cost. More points needed for our DVC resort... holiday surcharge for meals... increased airfare because of flying at Christmastime.
(And it's not as if there is a lot of extra cash available right after Christmas, if you know what I mean.)
I had really hoped to be able to vacation with Eddie, DSS who will be a senior in college by then. I talked to him about going to WDW for his visit with us and he was agreeable, but not particularly enthused. "You know, I'm really more of a coaster freak, Kathy. Can't we go to Universal for a few days that week??"

*Heavy sigh*
Then there was question of bringing "the girlfriend." (There is
always a girlfriend in the picture.) Ed became insistant that if we planned a trip during Christmas vacation that we invite Eddie's girlfriend along as well. Now, I would be okay with that if,
1) We ever got to really know any of his girlfriends. Even a steady girlfriend would be a stranger to us.
And,
2) We had more time to spend with Eddie. As it is we only see Eddie about twice a year when he visits from North Carolina. Last summer he was working so we only saw him once... for Christmas vacation. The whole point of having him join us on this trip would be to have "family time."
Selfishly, I must admit that I would not want to share this precious time with someone else, especially if I've never met her before.
And honestly, I think that Eddie would much rather spend his Christmas break the way he always does... sleeping in every day and just hanging out with the family. He really uses the time to re-charge his battery. Having him come with us to Disney would be more about what
I wanted and less about what
he wanted.
Of course, we are talking about a trip that is
two years away, so I may very well change my mind back again. Anything is possible. I didn't want to get my heart set on Christmas, though, so that's why I changed my ticker. I'd rather be in the position of having to
shorten it than having to
extend it in the future!
I'm home tomorrow so I will work on the next Halloween Trip installment...
Good Night for now,
Kathy