Dec 2013 - New York Gays in Orlando

[DrGaellon]

We are planning another trip to Orlando, this time for my birthday in December. We will, as usual, stay at my timeshare off 192, south of Animal Kingdom. We are tentatively planning three Disney days (since we have three days left on our 10-day passes from 2 years ago).

My sister moved to Orlando a year ago, and will be starting a job at Universal in the next few weeks, so we will probably go there as well. My parents retired to Groveland (about 40 minutes northwest of the airport) in January, so of course we will have to see them, too.

I'd forgotten how much I hate the crowds; we haven't gone at a particularly busy time since Gay Days (June) 2011. We went to visit my folks a couple of weeks ago, and decided to check out the new Fantasyland. Well, I had left our passes home, so I bought one-day tickets at $97 each. David didn't want to get moving ("the park is open til 1am, we have all day!"), so we didn't get on-site until about 11:30. By then, Space Mountain was giving Fast Passes for 530pm, and the park was a zoo - I'd forgotten we were traveling during a spring break week. We stopped at the Lunching Pad in Tomorrowland and had hot dogs, then headed back towards Fantasyland. Well, the Under The Sea ride had a 150 minute wait, and we couldn't get Fast Passes, since we had Space Mountain in hand. There wasn't anything else back there to see or do, and I abruptly started not feeling well. I decided it wasn't worth it, between feeling ill and feeling disappointed in the new area, so we left after less than three hours. Three very expensive hours! I hope it will be better when we go back - at the very least, less crowded, less hot, and the rest of the new stuff should be open.

 

[pieface]

December is far less crowded than June don't get me wrong there is always a crowd at Disney but not as much as June. Beautiful time to be in Disney decoration for Christmas is just magical.

 

[DrGaellon]

December is far less crowded than June don't get me wrong there is always a crowd at Disney but not as much as June. Beautiful time to be in Disney decoration for Christmas is just magical.

Yes, I've been before at that time of year. One of my favorite times to go. And if you go in the first half of December, there are often almost no crowds.

 

[DrGaellon]

The timeshare is confirmed! Now I just have to get my boss to confirm my vacation...

 

[DrGaellon]

I'm not leaving my job, but my entire practice is changing its structure. Instead of working for the medical school, we are all going to work directly for the hospital, effective October 1st. That means that I'm losing all my accumulated vacation (well, they're paying it out, but I'm losing the time). Since I had 2 weeks planned for the end of the year, that means I don't actually have vacation time for my December trip (i.e. Disney). I either have to go without pay, or borrow a week from next year.

 

[kamik86]

I'm not leaving my job, but my entire practice is changing its structure. Instead of working for the medical school, we are all going to work directly for the hospital, effective October 1st. That means that I'm losing all my accumulated vacation (well, they're paying it out, but I'm losing the time). Since I had 2 weeks planned for the end of the year, that means I don't actually have vacation time for my December trip (i.e. Disney). I either have to go without pay, or borrow a week from next year.

If they are paying out your vacation just stick that money in the bank and when you get to the day you would have been paid for your vacation pull it out and pretend its your paycheck.

Annoying as you have to keep track of it yourself and if your like my husband remember that you really aren't allowed to spend it all yet but financially its a wash if they will still let you take it without pay.

 

[DrGaellon]

If they are paying out your vacation just stick that money in the bank and when you get to the day you would have been paid for your vacation pull it out and pretend its your paycheck.

An excellent suggestion, but we just charged $5000 for David's dentist. I'd rather make the interest payment go away. With vacation, personal days, sick time, and educational days, I get almost 7 weeks a year if I use everything. I think I can manage to borrow one week...

 

[DrGaellon]

Timeshare: booked! Airfare: booked! Rental car: reserved! Owner's Locker: scheduled!

Just got back from six days in St. Croix, which was gorgeous. Planning Thanksgiving with David's mom in Maryland, then we're off to Florida eight days later.

As it turns out, the American College of Physicians (the national specialty society for internal medicine physicians) is having its annual meeting in Orlando in April (it ends the day before Palm Sunday). Since I get a week of Continuing Education time, I told my director that I *AM* going to the meeting, and using my whole week (even though the meeting only happens on two working days). Since he asked me to work on Rosh Hashanah, he owes me a huge favor - so I got no argument. We'll have to pay for David's airfare, but my airfare, the conference registration, the car rental, and the hotel (or timeshare) will all be reimbursed by the hospital.

Meanwhile, for the December trip, my sister is getting us one day two-park passes to Universal. One of our two never-expire Disney tickets (they should have 3 days each left) has gone missing; Disney said if we bring the other one in to a Guest Relations office, they MAY be able to reissue the missing one. If not, I'll buy a 3 day pass. We will definitely be doing Hollywood Studios - I want David to see the Osborne Family Lights, and we never did get to do Toy Story Mania last time we were there. (When were in St Croix, and he wanted to get to the beach early, he got himself up at 7. I'm going to make a stink about making rope-drop at least ONCE this trip!)