A pirate looks at 30 - pre-trip
Avast me matey's! Okay, my wife and I saw the POTC movie and I really enjoyed it, so now I think I'm a pirate.
arrrr
The cast:
Darren aka ktulu aka darrrrren - me, 29 (30 on Aug 11), and I'm a pirate, arrrrr
Jill - my wife, 26, not a pirate, but the best wife in the world!
It all started at the beginning of the year, she tells me that she wants to take me to WDW for my 30th birthday. I get all giddy and excited like a girl on a first date, or a 29 year old Disney nut who is just told he is going to Disney World for his 30th birthday.
Fast forward to May, yes this trip report is like having TiVo, you get to fast forward through the boring parts. One day at work Jill sends me an instant message (IM) and we talk about going to WDW. I start looking at prices, she says nothing less than a deluxe resort, she doesn't like the hotels with the outside doors, but we both loved Dixie Landings (I know) on our honeymoon, so I start the search. We both want to stay at WL or AKL. Prices are about the same, for the 7 days, no view, nothing fancy. Airfare is free, she won tickets at her company Christmas party last year! I tell her how much, she says too much. Too much!?! After I pick myself up off the floor (arrr) I start looking to the DIS for codes, discounts, coupons, a large family we can work our way into, anything to secure the trip. As I look through websites that also double as travel agents, I see this Fairy Tale Package, bah, it's one of those travel company packages I throw a quick arrr its way and continue on my search.
Then, I come across a news story about this fantastic Disney special called the Fairy Tale Package. I think to myself Disney is about to sue someone. Then it clicks, it's the same package. (keep in mind, all of this is still happening on the same day) I think to myself, arrrrrr. I then tell my wife, 4 days, price of 7, Disney special, and almost pee myself due to the excitement (okay I type this to her, but imagine if you just ran 10 miles to tell Lassie to go tell someone that Timmy fell down the well again, that was how I imagined me typing this, 4 days *gasping for air* 3 free *need air* cheap *arrrr*, you get the idea). I find the page on the WDW website and look up the pricing. Approx $1500, she says that is perfect, but she's not staying at what we like to call the motel 6 of WDW. I say, this is for WL, with a view. She says we'll talk more at home, but it looks like we will be going to WDW and not to some alternate non-Disney vacation spot for my birthday. I throw out another quick arrr and start getting some work done. (yeah right!)
Fast forward (insert tivo sounds the *boop whoop*) to that night or day later, something, I don't remember, I drank since then and read some marathon 22 page threads on the DIS. We're going to call and book the vacation. It's decided that I will be the one making the call. (arrrr!) It be a tad bit dangerous to let me plan me birthday vacation. Arrr, so I get on the phone yes, that'll be 90 days conceriage/savannah level of AKL with the UPH and the best meal plan you have, also arrange to have one of each stuffed character waiting for me'. Okay, so I didn't say that. I got the nicest lady ever on the phone (don't we all!), told her what we wanted, when and where. Told her it was for my 30th bday, she noted that, got all the specifics, king bed, non-smoking, woods view (i think) all at the WL. She offers some suggestions on where to eat, I kindly ignore it for now, I give her my CC for the deposit, and it's all good. She wishes me an early birthday, I throw out a quick arrrr and hang up the phone, once again all giddy (see previous explanation).
At some point I decided that I want to eat breakfast at CRT. My wife calls to get PS for that, no go. My dreams of seeing a near empty main street during the morning hours are stopped, unless I can get in on that stream train tour (a quick arrr), but wife is not excited about that. (arr) Oh well, a PS for breakfast at ohana on my birthday, and a ps for california grill for dinner on my birthday, that will be all for now. We'll see about making other plans once we're at the world. (arrrrrrr)
Between then and now, I've invaded the DIS like a pirate invades a small sea-side town, drunk and disorderly. I'm looking for that one piece of information that ensures that the vacation goes without any problems. I find that the folks there are not only helpful, but entertaining. I salute them, arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
We leave on Aug 9th, I will take notes as best I can and post more on the trip, which I've entitled (with a quick arrr to Jimmy Buffett):
'A Pirate looks at 30'.
Until then, keep your powder dry!
darrrrren
Avast me matey's! Okay, my wife and I saw the POTC movie and I really enjoyed it, so now I think I'm a pirate.
arrrr
The cast:
Darren aka ktulu aka darrrrren - me, 29 (30 on Aug 11), and I'm a pirate, arrrrr
Jill - my wife, 26, not a pirate, but the best wife in the world!
It all started at the beginning of the year, she tells me that she wants to take me to WDW for my 30th birthday. I get all giddy and excited like a girl on a first date, or a 29 year old Disney nut who is just told he is going to Disney World for his 30th birthday.
Fast forward to May, yes this trip report is like having TiVo, you get to fast forward through the boring parts. One day at work Jill sends me an instant message (IM) and we talk about going to WDW. I start looking at prices, she says nothing less than a deluxe resort, she doesn't like the hotels with the outside doors, but we both loved Dixie Landings (I know) on our honeymoon, so I start the search. We both want to stay at WL or AKL. Prices are about the same, for the 7 days, no view, nothing fancy. Airfare is free, she won tickets at her company Christmas party last year! I tell her how much, she says too much. Too much!?! After I pick myself up off the floor (arrr) I start looking to the DIS for codes, discounts, coupons, a large family we can work our way into, anything to secure the trip. As I look through websites that also double as travel agents, I see this Fairy Tale Package, bah, it's one of those travel company packages I throw a quick arrr its way and continue on my search.
Then, I come across a news story about this fantastic Disney special called the Fairy Tale Package. I think to myself Disney is about to sue someone. Then it clicks, it's the same package. (keep in mind, all of this is still happening on the same day) I think to myself, arrrrrr. I then tell my wife, 4 days, price of 7, Disney special, and almost pee myself due to the excitement (okay I type this to her, but imagine if you just ran 10 miles to tell Lassie to go tell someone that Timmy fell down the well again, that was how I imagined me typing this, 4 days *gasping for air* 3 free *need air* cheap *arrrr*, you get the idea). I find the page on the WDW website and look up the pricing. Approx $1500, she says that is perfect, but she's not staying at what we like to call the motel 6 of WDW. I say, this is for WL, with a view. She says we'll talk more at home, but it looks like we will be going to WDW and not to some alternate non-Disney vacation spot for my birthday. I throw out another quick arrr and start getting some work done. (yeah right!)
Fast forward (insert tivo sounds the *boop whoop*) to that night or day later, something, I don't remember, I drank since then and read some marathon 22 page threads on the DIS. We're going to call and book the vacation. It's decided that I will be the one making the call. (arrrr!) It be a tad bit dangerous to let me plan me birthday vacation. Arrr, so I get on the phone yes, that'll be 90 days conceriage/savannah level of AKL with the UPH and the best meal plan you have, also arrange to have one of each stuffed character waiting for me'. Okay, so I didn't say that. I got the nicest lady ever on the phone (don't we all!), told her what we wanted, when and where. Told her it was for my 30th bday, she noted that, got all the specifics, king bed, non-smoking, woods view (i think) all at the WL. She offers some suggestions on where to eat, I kindly ignore it for now, I give her my CC for the deposit, and it's all good. She wishes me an early birthday, I throw out a quick arrrr and hang up the phone, once again all giddy (see previous explanation).
At some point I decided that I want to eat breakfast at CRT. My wife calls to get PS for that, no go. My dreams of seeing a near empty main street during the morning hours are stopped, unless I can get in on that stream train tour (a quick arrr), but wife is not excited about that. (arr) Oh well, a PS for breakfast at ohana on my birthday, and a ps for california grill for dinner on my birthday, that will be all for now. We'll see about making other plans once we're at the world. (arrrrrrr)
Between then and now, I've invaded the DIS like a pirate invades a small sea-side town, drunk and disorderly. I'm looking for that one piece of information that ensures that the vacation goes without any problems. I find that the folks there are not only helpful, but entertaining. I salute them, arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
We leave on Aug 9th, I will take notes as best I can and post more on the trip, which I've entitled (with a quick arrr to Jimmy Buffett):
'A Pirate looks at 30'.
Until then, keep your powder dry!
darrrrren
