MAKHayes-DisneyDiva
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2007
- Messages
- 715
I just read Quiltymom's pre-trip report, in which she uses the phrase "planning as therapy." It was an "ah-ha moment" for me, because I realized that is what I'm doing! So I borrowed her phrase.
Thirty days from today my DS 7, DH and I will be on a plane headed for WDW!
Although the guys are excited about the trip, there is no doubt that I am by far the most ecstatic about it. In fact, the word crazy is frequently attached to my name. Last March was our first trip to WDW, and we loved it! We stayed at the YC, which was a little beyond our means, but since it was a once-in-a-lifetime trip
we decided to splurge a bit. I read a few guidebooks and a few reviews on line, but I didn't obsess too much.
Fast forward to July, 2006... We got a post card in the mail from Hilton Grand Vacations Club, which offered us 3 nights at the DD Hilton ($50 per night) for attending a 2 hour tour of the HGVC. With our travel account nearly depleated, I told DH how great it would be to go back, and for only $150! I was astonished when he said we could check into it. We assumed that the dates of our spring break would be blocked, but no, they were available! And DH even agreed that we should stay a few more nights somewhere else. This is where my nearly obsessive planning (I'm sorry, I mean trip planning therapy) began. I wanted to insure that we would have another magical vacation, even if we couldn't stay at the YC or someplace comparable.
After a great deal of research, I selected the CSR with the DDP for 3 nights following the DD Hilton.
Disney Trip Planning as Therapy - Installment II
According to many Dis-ers, CSR is a good choice in the moderate category. Someone named Buzz was extremely helpful - he actually has his own CSR unofficial website. A few weeks ago, I'm sure I would have called him a freak, but now I think of him as a helpful, friendly, knowledgeable person. A few weeks ago I also shyed away from posting. 47 posts later, one might think that I couldn't possibly have any more questions or details to iron out, but now I seem to be addicted to the Dis Boards! I've asked questions about everything from which building at CSR is the best, to which shows will my 7 year old son enjoy. I replied to a lady who was worried because her toddler had drunk milk from a 3 day old sippey cup, and read about a 20 yer old's March trip with her family to WDW. And I am picking up on the cult-like abbreviations! At first I couldn't make heads or tails of things like ADR, AP, FW, DVC... but now I get it, and it feels like the scene in The Jerk, when Steve Martin's character hears really square, white, music for the first time, and he starts snapping the beat, feeling like he has found his true identity.
But enough about Dis Boards. If anyone is reading this, you already know what a great resource this can be.
About trip planning as therapy...Five years ago I gave birth to my second son, a beautiful 1 pound, 15 ounce miracle baby. Ben struggled in life, to eat, to breathe, to grow...but he never had a hard time giving or receiving love. Though he never walked or talked, Ben lived 16 months and changed my life, and the lives of my DS and DH forever. I miss Ben every day, and so wish he could go to WDW with us.
Thirty days from today my DS 7, DH and I will be on a plane headed for WDW!
Although the guys are excited about the trip, there is no doubt that I am by far the most ecstatic about it. In fact, the word crazy is frequently attached to my name. Last March was our first trip to WDW, and we loved it! We stayed at the YC, which was a little beyond our means, but since it was a once-in-a-lifetime trip
we decided to splurge a bit. I read a few guidebooks and a few reviews on line, but I didn't obsess too much.Fast forward to July, 2006... We got a post card in the mail from Hilton Grand Vacations Club, which offered us 3 nights at the DD Hilton ($50 per night) for attending a 2 hour tour of the HGVC. With our travel account nearly depleated, I told DH how great it would be to go back, and for only $150! I was astonished when he said we could check into it. We assumed that the dates of our spring break would be blocked, but no, they were available! And DH even agreed that we should stay a few more nights somewhere else. This is where my nearly obsessive planning (I'm sorry, I mean trip planning therapy) began. I wanted to insure that we would have another magical vacation, even if we couldn't stay at the YC or someplace comparable.
After a great deal of research, I selected the CSR with the DDP for 3 nights following the DD Hilton.
Disney Trip Planning as Therapy - Installment II
According to many Dis-ers, CSR is a good choice in the moderate category. Someone named Buzz was extremely helpful - he actually has his own CSR unofficial website. A few weeks ago, I'm sure I would have called him a freak, but now I think of him as a helpful, friendly, knowledgeable person. A few weeks ago I also shyed away from posting. 47 posts later, one might think that I couldn't possibly have any more questions or details to iron out, but now I seem to be addicted to the Dis Boards! I've asked questions about everything from which building at CSR is the best, to which shows will my 7 year old son enjoy. I replied to a lady who was worried because her toddler had drunk milk from a 3 day old sippey cup, and read about a 20 yer old's March trip with her family to WDW. And I am picking up on the cult-like abbreviations! At first I couldn't make heads or tails of things like ADR, AP, FW, DVC... but now I get it, and it feels like the scene in The Jerk, when Steve Martin's character hears really square, white, music for the first time, and he starts snapping the beat, feeling like he has found his true identity.
But enough about Dis Boards. If anyone is reading this, you already know what a great resource this can be.
About trip planning as therapy...Five years ago I gave birth to my second son, a beautiful 1 pound, 15 ounce miracle baby. Ben struggled in life, to eat, to breathe, to grow...but he never had a hard time giving or receiving love. Though he never walked or talked, Ben lived 16 months and changed my life, and the lives of my DS and DH forever. I miss Ben every day, and so wish he could go to WDW with us.
) we splurged ~ the Poly and a cruise and many nice character meals.
I love the idea of therapy planning being a "more luxurious subset of retail therapy." Brilliant!
