At What Point Do You Switch Into "Vacation Mode?"

[stocker1042]

This is a great question! I suppose it comes in stages.

Flying out of PHL, we always get a 7pm-9pm flight. Therefore, that allows me to score some "crab fries" and a draft beverage at Chickie's and Pete's in the Southwest terminal before the flight. The only time I eat there is at the airport, so that sort of signals the start.

The other true "I have arrived" moment is when you are riding that psuedo-monorail dohickey thingy from the SW terminal to the main terminal at MCO. That dude's voice brings me to FL...plus, you can see the palm trees out of the windows.

Sadly, reversing the goofy monorail ride signals the snap back to reality.

 

[kadesha]

I am a teacher and we are traveling shortly after school gets out. So I can imagine that I'll be in vacation mode when I lock my classroom door and get in my car and drive away from the school on our last day this year. (May 11!)

 

[Suellen]

I go through stages:

Vacation Mode Stage 1: In the car on the way to airport
Vacation Mode Stage 2: Through security and in terminal
Vacation Mode Stage 3: Wheels leaving the tarmac
Vacation Mode Stage 4: Orlando Airport
Vacation Mode Stage 5: Magic Express
Vacation Mode Stage 6: Seeing the Welcome to Walt Disney World (no stopping please) sign
Vacation Mode Stage 7: Checked into Hotel
Vacation Mode Stage 8: Seeing the room
Vacation Mode Stage 9: The most and important and final stage.... Magic Kingdom!

 

[lucysmom]

I get into vacation mode when we hop on the premonorail at the Orlando Airport. The planning, packing, and flying are behind us. It's sheer fun ahead.

 

[rhub69]

New to the boards, and I am glad to say as soon as we book our trip I am in full on vacation mode. The hard part is my brain eaves for Disney long before my body does....

 

[rentayenta]

I am pretty checked out about 2 weeks before the trip....at least with regard to work.

 

[LittleMissMickey]

The hard part is my brain leaves for Disney long before my body does....

So true. My body leaves March 23 or 24. My brain left a month ago, when I decided that this trip needed me to take it.

I love hearing others' vacation rituals. As a child, it wasn't vacation time until we had set the house alarm off at 3 a.m. while trying to get on the road for our 27 hour drive.

 

[disneymd33]

When I get through security at the airport. That's where I stop at the same little bar and have a drink to celebrate the official start of vacation! Prost!

 

[poeticdiabetic]

So true. My body leaves March 23 or 24. My brain left a month ago, when I decided that this trip needed me to take it.

I love hearing others' vacation rituals. As a child, it wasn't vacation time until we had set the house alarm off at 3 a.m. while trying to get on the road for our 27 hour drive.

I love reading other people's rituals, too! That's why I started the thread. It allows me to peek into things that I probably will never experience.

For instance, the pre-monorail. Since I live in the Atlanta area, I would probably never get to ride that at the Orlando airport.

And I'm not a drinker, but I can certainly appreciate now why I would see folks in Mickey ears bellying up to the bar at 10 in the morning.

But for all of the flyers, you wouldn't understand the joy of defeating the milestones- crossing over into Florida before the fill-up, scouting your first palm tree of the route, making it to the turnpike by sunrise, family waking up hungry about 20 miles from WDW (like clockwork.)

I think it's great! (Now I can't wait to get out on the road!)

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

But for all of the flyers, you wouldn't understand the joy of defeating the milestones- crossing over into Florida before the fill-up, scouting your first palm tree of the route, making it to the turnpike by sunrise, family waking up hungry about 20 miles from WDW (like clockwork.)

I think it's great! (Now I can't wait to get out on the road!)

Driving does have its own charms. We live in central NC, and have driven to WDW several times. It's a ~10 hour drive. In recent years though it just seems to work out better to fly because we spend a few hundred dollars more (thanks SWA), but it's like we get two extra days of vacation since we don't consume an entire day traveling each way. I never have been big on driving crazy hours and then launching into touring the parks. Works for some folks but not for me.

When we were driving and the kids were younger (now both are teens), they'd watch Disney movies pretty much the whole way down. I remember we were too cheap to buy a portable DVD player system so we rigged a TV/VCR combo so that it would plug into the cigarette lighter. They would watch and watch and watch, while DW and I chatted and sang and drove.
We always rushed to WDW as fast possible, making our way to I-95 and then watching the miles go by. Stopping at a rest area in FL was always fun because they had free OJ lots of the time. We would make one stop for the kids to stretch their legs at a McDonald's playplace.
Coming back it was always our tradition to stop at a Cracker Barrel somewhere in SC and have a leisurely meal to break up the trip. DW never has enjoyed driving, but I don't mind too much. Maybe someday we'll make that drive again.

 

[Luvmyfam3]

Like most everyone else, I have many "Vacation Planning" modes (I love it when it's ADR time! It really makes me feel like we're getting to "Countdown Time!").

But, my "Vacation Mode" has many phases too...
1. We drive, so pulling out of the driveway (while I'm not frantically also thinking of what I forgot to pack for 6 people!) is a huge and thrilling moment for me!

2. But, I think other drivers will agree that each state line is a cool pre-vacation moment (we drive from Texas and we have even had "State Line Celebrations!" which means a small gift, usually something new to do in the car, for everyone!). I know that logistically we still have a long way to go when we hit each state line...heck, even when we hit Florida we STILL have hours and hours to go!...but, there's something about it.

3. And then when you start to see the Disney billboards.... forget about it!

4. Then, driving through the arch.

5. But, as a DVC member, once I hear the security guard greet me with "Welcome Home!" I feel that I've truly made it!

Btw, thanks for giving me the opportunity to previsualize my upcoming vacation modes! Totally fun for a normal Thursday!! And it's interesting to read the other posts!

Kim

 

[LittleMissMickey]

I'm arriving a day or two before my DBF. Is it sad that I am considering taking Magical Express back to the airport to pick him up and make the return trip on Magical Express, just so I can start my vacation again? It's just such a good feeling!

Of course, once I'm there, will I really want to go back to the airport to fetch him? At 37, I'm sure he's more than qualified to make the trip on his own...

 

[dvcdisney]

I don't even switch off anymore.

We only go to Disney every 6 mths. But I'm in constant planning mode which is part of the vacation. I book 11mths prior and possibly change it at 7mths prior and then there's dining 6mths prior which I tend to change sometimes over the course of 6 mths due to changes in hours, plans etc. Then there's planning and booking a Disney cruise which is more than a year and a half in advance, but as I book the 2013 reservations, I am planning for my summer cruise excursions, port infos etc.

It's exhausting planning vacations. But I love it! And I wouldn't want to switch off.

 

[wdwislife]

for my trip two weeks ago I never quite got into vacation mode until I found myelf on Main Street U.S.A! I had been extremely busy and extremely sick prior to leaving, so I never had time to get hyped. It was very unlike me because I usually find myself ready to go at about 100 days out

 

[lurkernj]

I'll agree to the different levels.

There's the thrill once the airfare is booked that the trip is really going to happen, let the real planning begin(instead of the fake trips I plan that I don't get to take).

There's the decompression once leaving work on that last day.

Then full mode once I'm on the plane in my seat.

 

[luvgoing2disney]

I consider myself "officially" in Vacation Mode when I walk out of the office the last day before the trip. Of course, usually that last day is a day out of Hades where everything comes in at one time. But when I leave my office, turn out the lights, this place is forgotten for the week and I focus on my Happy Place.

 

[Dustykins]

For me, "vacation mode" usually starts about 30 min. to an hour after we get in the car. I'm usually so rushed and stressed getting everything packed and into the car and meeting DH's deadline that it takes me that long to calm down and get in a good mood. Pre-kids I wasn't early so stressed. We haven't flown with the kids before so I'm guessing that I'll still be stressed navigating them through the airports so maybe "vacation mode" will hit when we board the ME. Although...I'll have to have our main bags packed and delivered to my mom a week before our flight so hopefully I won't be scrambling to be ready to leave for our flights so maybe vacation mode can hit when we leave home!

 

[whitney37354]

I have stages of vacation mode, like other pps.

Stage 1: The night before we leave I'm laying out outfits for all of us & packing them. The next morning, I'm packing the toiletries after our showers. Working on a Friday before a vacation is brutal! Trying to concentrate while so excited is hard. DH & I usually throw in the towel & call it a day at noon...

Stage 2: Getting on the road. At least we're moving toward the target location, even if we're hours away. I'm focused on the trip & don't think another thing about work or day-to-day responsibilities & cares until I'm home from the vacation. DH & I tend to be snippy with each other because we're all wound up with excitement. The farther we get in the trip, the nicer we are to each other!

 

[Virtucomp]

I have three levels of vacation mode.

Level 1) We decided when the next trip will be and I start planning and researching the destination. Does not have to be Disney but my experience with planning our WDW trips has taught me to plan the sites we will see on the trip.

Level 2) The trip is eminent and I can't keep my brain on work. This usually happens the week of the trip and I know I will be out on vacation in a day or two. I'm like a robot doing the things I'm supposed to do but my mind keeps switching back to excited vaca mode.

Level 3) The morning we get up and start the trek. Usually to the airport to fly to FL. Once the sequence of going to the airport instead of the normal go to work routine hits I'm now in Vacation mode.

 

[danabalana]

Although I love planning and packing, I hit true vacation mode when we get through airport security.
Every step of the way after that is fun!
We stop at Starbucks or if we have time, stop for a full breakfast.

It's about a 6 hour flight for us but I get a really good book and time flies!...pun intended

Then the airport monorail at OMD.

This trip will be different because my DH has business in SC first. He loves to drive so we're flying to SC then driving to Orlando.

Can't wait to drive under that sign!!

I think I'll buy our park tickets from UT this week!!! Yay!!