A Princess and A Skeptc Take on The World

[KaylaMarie]

Hello and to my first ever Pre-Trip Report! First of all I am excited that you have joined in! I was worried no one would read this, but Here you are!


I am heading down to The World with my boyfriend Peter in just over six months! We will be celebrating our 5th anniversary (a few weeks late) at WDW

The WHEN and WHERE
For the first part of our trip we will be staying a Pop! Century from 5/5/2012-5/11/2012 with Deluxe Dining and off property with my Aunt and her family at Cypress Grand Villas From 5/11/2012 - 5/19/2012

The WHO!
Here are our short bios so you can get to know us

Me- I am 22, a pre-vet student(and princess) who is slightly obsessive about all things Disney. In my free time, you can find me doing Disney related stuff or spending time with Peter or one of my 3 fur babies (dog,hamster, guinea pig)
I have gone to Disney 3 times, the last time when I was 13! So this will be my first time as an adult and the first time going to all 4 parks!

Peter DBF - Peter is 24 and as I mentioned before a bit of a skeptic going into the trip, though he is willing to go and give it a try! (He loves me a lot! ) This will be his FIRST EVER trip!!He like to spend his free time hanging out, playing video games and snuggling up to watch a good movie.

Here is a pic of us from our Birthday week - we got into a bit of a cake fight!

Kelly and Steve (Aunt and Uncle) - Kelly and Steve are some of my favorite relatives and have definitely drank the kool-aid! They go to Disney every year and were there 2 out of the 3 times I went! Kelly does not do roller coasters or thrill rides of any kind, while Steve is quite the opposite and loves a good roller coaster!

Chloe- The Littlest Princess on this trip, is Kelly and Steve's Daughter, she will be 3 when we go and I cannot wait to see the Magic with her!

I don't have permission to post there Pics so use your imagination!


I hope you will join us on our adventure and to any Disney vet's I would love advice and your thoughts along the way!

Up Next : Can We Stick To Our Budget?

 

[KaylaMarie]

Hello Again!
No comments, yet! Maybe no one Will read my PTR! eh, that's okay! I talk to myself all the time Hehe!

Our Budget has gone up and down over the last few months, but we have arrived at a nice solid $4000.00 for our number.

I'm hopping that we will have a nice bit of that left over to start next years vacation
(YES! I am thinking about planning a 2013 vacation already! Possibly a 2012 Christmas vacation if Peter will get on board)

So lets look at the plan...can we stay under our 4000 dollars?

BUDGET!
4000

-600.00 Traveling expenses - this includes all of our gas, hotel and food
for the trip there and back! We have a 2011 Kia Rio lx, that is
AMAZING on gas! it was actually cheaper to drive then to fly and
rent a car!
-2444.00 Week 1 - Pop! Century, 10 day Park tickets,Deluxe Dining Plan.
-200.00 Tips and Tolls
-300.00 Week 2 Food ( our hotel is free Thanks to Kelly and
Steve!)
-200 Seaworld / Wet n Wild Tickets
________________
856!! left!!

We did it!
Well, we PLAN to do it!
I know that we will be using the 856 for anything unexpected/extra while on on our trip
...and plan to see how much this REALLY cost us. Oh! that reminds me, we will be keeping all of our bills after meals and snacks to see if deluxe dining plan is worth it!

Up Next: I'll Continue to talk to myself as we plan our days!

 

[DMGeurts]

Ok... I can't stand having a fellow Diser talking to themselves...

So, at least you can talk to me. After all, I talk to myself all the time.

I wish I could give you some helpful insight to your budget numbers... They seem to be pretty accurate - especially since you are on dxdp - the only oop expenses will be tips (mousekeeping and restaurant).

However, do not let the influence of souviniers deceive you. They are very powerful. Pin trading is an amazing experience, and one that I recommend to almost everyone - it is expensive (about $10/pin - and yes, most of the bundle packs on Ebay are fakes) - but meeting CMs while trading was just a wonderful experience... talking to people and finding out more about where they are from and why they love Disney, all through pin trading. Fun and hugely addictive (and expensive). It's the one souvinier that I would not go home with out. We display our lanyards with pins attached on our bedroom wall. Oh, and we always try to get a few trip specific pins, as well - with the year and occasion of our trip - these are keepers that we don't trade.

Oh, and don't forget that each and every ride dumps you off in a Disney store... LOL Each one themed better than the last. Those souviniers are powerful. So, hopefully you have lots of willpower.

Ok, I am done rambling now... feel free to continue your PTR.

D~

 

[KaylaMarie]

Ok... I can't stand having a fellow Diser talking to themselves...

So, at least you can talk to me. After all, I talk to myself all the time.

I wish I could give you some helpful insight to your budget numbers... They seem to be pretty accurate - especially since you are on dxdp - the only oop expenses will be tips (mousekeeping and restaurant).

However, do not let the influence of souviniers deceive you. They are very powerful. Pin trading is an amazing experience, and one that I recommend to almost everyone - it is expensive (about $10/pin - and yes, most of the bundle packs on Ebay are fakes) - but meeting CMs while trading was just a wonderful experience... talking to people and finding out more about where they are from and why they love Disney, all through pin trading. Fun and hugely addictive (and expensive). It's the one souvinier that I would not go home with out. We display our lanyards with pins attached on our bedroom wall. Oh, and we always try to get a few trip specific pins, as well - with the year and occasion of our trip - these are keepers that we don't trade.

Oh, and don't forget that each and every ride dumps you off in a Disney store... LOL Each one themed better than the last. Those souviniers are powerful. So, hopefully you have lots of willpower.

Ok, I am done rambling now... feel free to continue your PTR.

D~

So excited to have you along for the adventure!

Peter has the will power of a god when it comes to spending money and will hopefully keep me in check though there are a few things I will want I'm sure!!
Pin trading attracted me but then the money... hehe I spend quite a bit all year long on my pets ,they are very spoiled, because of that pin trading seems a bit too expensive I am sure once I started I wouldn't want to stop! I would want them all!

 

[DMGeurts]

So excited to have you along for the adventure!

Peter has the will power of a god when it comes to spending money and will hopefully keep me in check though there are a few things I will want I'm sure!!
Pin trading attracted me but then the money... hehe I spend quite a bit all year long on my pets ,they are very spoiled, because of that pin trading seems a bit too expensive I am sure once I started I wouldn't want to stop! I would want them all!

I have pretty good willpower when it comes to most things.

Put me in a fabric store = bad...
Put me in Disney = bad...
Put me in a fabric store with Disney fabric = bad, Bad, BAD!!!!



Pin trading is expensive... but if you can limit yourself to a starter pack (lanyard and 4 pins) and keep trading only those 4 pins for your entire trip - then it's pretty economical. Plus you get to meet lots of interesting people. But if your like me, and you have to stop at every single pin trading cart you see (most of them have the same pins) - then it gets to be a problem.

D~ <---Don't even get me started on Donald and Disney hats....

 

[KaylaMarie]

Just a Quick Update! We are upgrading from Pop Century to Coronado Springs! Very Excited!

 

[DMGeurts]

Oooh - that is exciting!!! I can't wait to hear more about this change of plans.

D~