Financial Responsibility is Overrated! ~ A May 2018 PTR

[Elevationist]

27 days until FP+!
87 days until WDW!
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Hey, ya'll!

So last week for a school project I found myself digging through my Mom's photo albums, and I came across an interesting batch of photos, circa 1986. In honor of Throwback Thursday, I present to you... My very first trip to Walt Disney World, at the age of 5 years old:

Fun things of note:

• My Mom's enormous 80's bleach-blonde hair.
• That pic with the unfortunate camera spot on my face is actually while riding "it's a small world."
• There are no pictures with Mickey or any other character because I was absolutely terrified of them.
• To this day, I can't handle the teacups or any other spin rides. According to my Mom, it's because that day she got overexcited and spun our teacup until I got sick. So it's all her fault.
• Obviously not a Disney resort. We were broke folks, and that's why I didn't return to WDW again until I was 17 years old, with my Senior class trip.
• Apparently nobody prompted me to strike that sassy little pose under Spaceship Earth. That was allllllll me.

In more current and relevant news, my planning spreadsheet for this upcoming May trip is complete! At least for today, that is. No doubt there will be plenty of tweaking over the next 3 months:

Yes, I'm doing that thing I often do where I drive down the day before and stay in a cheap Kissimmee hotel (this time I've chosen the Quality Inn & Suites by the Lake), then get up bright an early the next morning to go start my Disney stay. It's saving me about $350 over adding another night at the Boardwalk when I'll be spending half the day on the road anyhow! Plus then I can sleep in later on the day I'm traveling, I won't need to stress if I get stuck for hours in traffic on I-95 in Jacksonville or on I-4 in Orlando (both of which have happened to me before on the SAME DAY), and generally just be more well-rested overall on both my driving day as well as on Day 1 at WDW.

That's all I have for now. I need to sit down and come up with my FastPass+ plan soon!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

I love your old photos from your first Disney trip.

 

[SarahDisney]

Those throwback pictures! OMG!

Also, I didn't realize until now how much I missed having your color-coded spreadsheets in my life. Nobody does Disney planning like you do. Billie, you are the Disney planning master!

 

[LindseyJo22]

Awesome photos and awesome spreadsheet (as always) - I need to get ours out and make it more detailed. Plus, we just changed the park days around (again) so there needs to be some editing.

Great plan to stay in the cheaper hotel the first night I think, especially if you're not doing much Disney! Also, I spy Garden Grill breakfast - will be interested to hear how you like it! It's on my list, but we have loved the GG dinner so much that I haven't managed to actually book it yet

Yay, Disney! So exciting!

 

[Zarina_Stardust]

I've followed your other trip reports and I'm coming out of lurkdom to say and I'm excited to see you are starting a new one! Love the pictures from your first trip. So cute! I wish my parents had taken me when I was a kid but I did make it eventually with my own kiddos and now I'm hooked.

I will be following along because I secretly want to go on a solo trip but I think my husband would kill me if I left him with the kids while I went on vacation.

Also, I love the pirate Mickey Ears and your parrot face painting from your first post.

 

[iheartbelle87]

In more current and relevant news, my planning spreadsheet for this upcoming May trip is complete! At least for today, that is. No doubt there will be plenty of tweaking over the next 3 months:

I LOVE those throw back photos! Such a cute kid! Also, I think all '80s mom looked the same, pretty sure my mom had the same hair

Also, I'm OBSESSED with your spreadsheet!! I'm not inspired to make one for my upcoming trip.... planning for 5 people is no joke! lol!

 

[kastoney]

BILLIE!!!!!!

Oh how my heart leapt for joy to see you on here!!!! Fingers crossed you keep the PTR up because I need more of you and Disney in my life.

Loving all your throwback photos, especially your Mom!!! She looks like quite the Dynasty bombshell.

 

[Tracy161]

OMG SWEET JESUS IT'S BILLIE!!!!!!!!

Yeah... this describes my way of adulting, too...

I certainly hope you'll join me!

Wouldn't miss it!

Obsessive Disney planning that borders on psychologically-questionable

You're speaking my language.

When: May 6-11, 2018

We miss each other by 3 days... I'm arriving on May 14.

Why: Because adulting sucks, and who really needs financial stability anyhow?

Amen.

I am a single gal (bordering on old cat lady status)

I hear that.

I started college at the ripe old age of 36 years old, and at 10 credit hours, I'm carrying almost a full-time load.

So proud of you, Billie! I'm taking a single class a semester and it's dang near impossible enough.

Yes, I'm doing that thing I often do where I drive down the day before and stay in a cheap Kissimmee hotel (this time I've chosen the Quality Inn & Suites by the Lake), then get up bright an early the next morning to go start my Disney stay. It's saving me about $350 over adding another night at the Boardwalk when I'll be spending half the day on the road anyhow!

This makes total sense. $350 can buy a LOT of face-paintin'!

So happy to see you back I've really missed you, especially since I'm not on facebook anymore!

 

[Elevationist]

I love your old photos from your first Disney trip.

Thanks! I think they're totally trippy to look at.

Also, I didn't realize until now how much I missed having your color-coded spreadsheets in my life. Nobody does Disney planning like you do. Billie, you are the Disney planning master!

And to think, this is just the BASIC spread sheet, not the detailed daily itineraries!

Great plan to stay in the cheaper hotel the first night I think, especially if you're not doing much Disney!

Welllll. It turns out, now I am doing a leeeeetle bit of Disney that first night. Just a leeeeetle bit. Saving that info for the next update, though!

Also, I spy Garden Grill breakfast - will be interested to hear how you like it! It's on my list, but we have loved the GG dinner so much that I haven't managed to actually book it yet

I did Garden Grill breakfast on my big October 2016 trip! I think I abandoned the TR before I made it to that day, though, so you probably didn't get to see or hear about how amazing it was. So, for you, I will trip down that memory lane in my next PTR post, also! With photos. AND video!

I've followed your other trip reports and I'm coming out of lurkdom to say

OMG, hi! Also, I LOVE your Stitch + BB8 icon! Too cute!

I will be following along because I secretly want to go on a solo trip but I think my husband would kill me if I left him with the kids while I went on vacation.

So don't tell him! Book an early flight, take a cab to the airport, and let him wake up to a note explaining when you'll be back, along with detailed instructions on how to keep the children from dying until your return. Then turn off your phone, and fleeeeee!

Also, I love the pirate Mickey Ears and your parrot face painting from your first post.

OMFG YES. Somebody FINALLY got that it was a parrot to go with my pirate theme! Do you realize how many people I had to explain that to?!

I LOVE those throw back photos! Such a cute kid! Also, I think all '80s mom looked the same, pretty sure my mom had the same hair

She was total 80s goals.

planning for 5 people is no joke! lol!

You ain't lyin'! I planned for a party of 6 of us a year ago, and it was crazy.

BILLIE!!!!!!

KARI!!!!!!

Oh how my heart leapt for joy to see you on here!!!! Fingers crossed you keep the PTR up because I need more of you and Disney in my life.

Daaaaang, Booboo. You know how to make a girl feel loved!

Loving all your throwback photos, especially your Mom!!! She looks like quite the Dynasty bombshell.

BAHAHA. I'm gonna tell her you said that.

OMG SWEET JESUS IT'S BILLIE!!!!!!!!

Wow. I am feelin' the love. HI, TRACY, MY SOUL SISTER!

Yeah... this describes my way of adulting, too...

Word. Spending money wisely is for old and/or boring people.

We miss each other by 3 days... I'm arriving on May 14.

HOW THE F*** DO WE KEEP MANAGING TO DO THIS?!?!?

So proud of you, Billie! I'm taking a single class a semester and it's dang near impossible enough.

Yeah, but you're taking a Master's level class. That's the workload of like 2-3 Bachelor's level classes, really.

This makes total sense. $350 can buy a LOT of face-paintin'!

You know me so well!

So happy to see you back I've really missed you, especially since I'm not on facebook anymore!

I noticed you ditched FB! I've missed you too, pookie!

 

[LindseyJo22]

So, for you, I will trip down that memory lane in my next PTR post, also! With photos. AND video!

Yay! That's super exciting We have so many ADRs this next trip that I don't think I can squeeze that one in, but perhaps in the next one - my mom loved Garden Grill for lunch and we might be able to convince her to do breakfast

Welllll. It turns out, now I am doing a leeeeetle bit of Disney that first night. Just a leeeeetle bit. Saving that info for the next update, though!

Woo hoo!!! More Disney is always better

 

[Zarina_Stardust]

TMG, hi! Also, I LOVE your Stitch + BB8 icon! Too cute!

Two of my favorite characters. Too cute to pass up as an avatar.

So don't tell him! Book an early flight, take a cab to the airport, and let him wake up to a note explaining when you'll be back, along with detailed instructions on how to keep the children from dying until your return. Then turn off your phone, and fleeeeee!

I was thinking of just telling him I'm going on a work trip or that it's a girls trip so I can't take him or the boys.

 

[Tracy161]

HOW THE F*** DO WE KEEP MANAGING TO DO THIS?!?!?

I have no idea! One day, Billie, my friend/soul sister, one day...

You know me so well!

I do

I've missed you too, pookie!

Awww shucks I'm seriously SO glad to see you back.

 

[Elevationist]

1 day until FP+!
61 days until WDW!
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Hey, ya'll!

So remember how I predicted that updates here would be few and far between. Well, I am true to my word!

But I'm on Spring Break this week, so I have some extra time. Also, part of the reason for the delay was I was on the verge of cancelling the May trip and just converting this PTR into a thread for my October trip. See, this semester I was awarded a $2500 cash grant from my school to help with my educational expenses, but my tuition is fully covered by my Pell Grant and South Carolina Lottery tuition assistance. Which means that $2,500 is FREE MONIES FOR BILLIE.

This is the windfall that I've been counting on to cover this trip. Well, it finally hit my bank account, and I realized that with that money and just a little bit out of savings, I could have my car loan paid in full. (It has 11 months left on it.) So I was literally THISCLOSE to doing the responsible thing, and paying off my car instead of going to Disney in May. But then I remembered the theme of this Trip Report, and well...

...And so here we are, on this lovely FastPass+ Eve! I finalized my wishlist today, but I honestly have no idea how tomorrow morning is going to go. I so seriously miss the days when you could do your FP+ reservations at midnight EST! What time do they even open up now? 6am? 7am?

At 6am tomorrow, I'll be walking and feeding dogs (I'm house/pet sitting at the moment, more on that later), then scrambling to get myself ready and out the door by 6:25am. Don't say "So wake up earlier!" because I'm already having to get up at 5:30am, which means my alarm is going off in 15 minute intervals starting at 4:00am (yes, seriously... stop judging me). So getting up even one minute earlier is a great big fat...

At 7am tomorrow, I'll be just getting to work and settling and starting my day. I can in theory log in from my work computer and do it, if my boss isn't hanging around shootin' the breeze with me and my officemate, and if I don't walk into a sh**storm of time-sensitive work to do. Right now, that's kinda my best hope. Wish me luck!

Anyhow. The tentative plan!

Notes:

• Originally on Day 1, I was going to spend all day at the Magic Kingdom until time to leave for my very late 9:55pm Ohana dinner reservation. But then as I'm going about making my plans, it dawns on me that I should check for closures and refurbishments. Well, come to find out that Festival of the Lion King, a must-do for me, is going down for just a 1-day closure. Guess what day! ... YEP. May 9th! So after FoF, I'll be hopping on a bus to Animal Kingdom to catch the last showing for that night at 6pm. Then I'll hang around, maybe take a safari if the wait isn't ridiculous, then hop a bus back up to the Polynesian for dinner.
• I realize that on Day 2, I may not be able to get a FP for TSMM. I know it's only Stand-By right now while it's down to just one track. But I'm gonna try. If not, I will probably just sub it out out for another RnR ride, and then try my luck with TSMM at Rope Drop. It means more criss-crossing the park, but whatever.
• On Day 3, I may just head right on over to Epcot after my PotC ride. We'll see! Also, I'm considering booking the Frozen dessert party for this night, but dates are currently only available through April 30th, so I'll just keep checking back. I don't have my heart set on it or anything, since even once the dates open it may not be offered on that particular night. But I really enjoyed both the other dessert parties I've attended (Star Wars Galactic Spectacular and Happily Ever After), so why not?
• On Day 4, I got Pandora probs. Specifically, Flight of Passage. I was able to ride it in October, and it was AMAZING. However. I was 30 lbs lighter then, and I know how very close that I came to NOT fitting on it. So I'm trying to decide if I want to even bother attempt it at all on this trip. I'm trying to drop the weight, but... Well. Full disclosure: I actually gained 46 lbs in the two months following after my last visit, and so far I've only managed to drop 16 of those since January. So it's not looking good. I suppose I'll get the FP for FoP (if it's even available), and I can always drop or exchange it later if I decide it's not worth the potential embarrassment. Otherwise, if I can't get the FP tomorrow, I'll go with the plan that worked great for me in October: Get a FP for Kilimanjaro Safaris instead, and rope drop Flight of Passage (it's an EMH morning).
• Days 2 and 4 each have a 2-hour resort break scheduled in between park hopping. Because I just can't see the point of shelling out for a Deluxe resort, then never spending any time at it.
• On Day 5, Rivers of Light is extremely optional. I mean, I thought it was neat, but it was more of a "One and Done" thing for me. I'm really just going back there because I think AK is friggin' awesome at night, with all the bands and the lighting on the Tree of Life. Plus another opportunity to do a night safari, which is still on my bucket list. However, the park closes at 9pm and RoL is slated to start at 9:15pm. So again... Why not, right?

Was that a big enough block of text for ya'll?

I've also made some updates to my itinerary since my last update here, and added a dinner reservation. I also promised @LindseyJo22 a trip down memory lane regarding one of my dining experiences from October 2016. I'll talk about all that in the next post, though! (Whenever that may be...)

As previously mentioned, I'm currently doing 8 nights of pet sitting for 3 precious doggos. All of them are rescues, and all chihuahuas or chi-mixes. And one of them is ONLY THREE MONTHS OLD. She's for real the cutest thing I've ever seen. So, I will leave you tonight with cute doggo and pupper pics. Enjoy!

See ya'll again soon (ish)!

 

[Tracy161]

But I'm on Spring Break this week, so I have some extra time.

Yay! Enjoy

OH THANK GOD! You can't leave me here being the only non-adulting adult Besides, when I'm 100, I'm not gonna look back and think "oh thank god I paid off that car early" - I'm gonna say "thank god I spent so much time at Disney!"

But I really enjoyed both the other dessert parties I've attended (Star Wars Galactic Spectacular

Happy to hear that! I booked the Star Wars dessert party for my May trip

Because I just can't see the point of shelling out for a Deluxe resort, then never spending any time at it.

I agree

Awesome picture!

Hope all goes well with the FPs!

 

[Zarina_Stardust]

All of those dogs are cute but that fuzzy little one in the pink collar is super adorbs.

I thought about adulting this year and putting more money towards upgrades in our house but decided on a Disneyland trip instead.

 

[SarahDisney]

But I'm on Spring Break this week, so I have some extra time.

My sister is also on spring break - it's not spring yet! But yay for having some time off from school.

At 7am tomorrow, I'll be just getting to work and settling and starting my day. I can in theory log in from my work computer and do it, if my boss isn't hanging around shootin' the breeze with me and my officemate, and if I don't walk into a sh**storm of time-sensitive work to do. Right now, that's kinda my best hope. Wish me luck!

Belated good luck! I hope you walked into the office with lots of time for FP+!

FP+ list looks great. That FoP thing is tough - but I think that if you had good luck with rope dropping it last time, you should be able to do it again this trip. Hopefully.

Looking forward to reading about how FP+ day went!

 

[DonnaBeeGood]

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[Elevationist]

OH THANK GOD! You can't leave me here being the only non-adulting adult Besides, when I'm 100, I'm not gonna look back and think "oh thank god I paid off that car early" - I'm gonna say "thank god I spent so much time at Disney!"

I LOVE this! I should meme it!

Happy to hear that! I booked the Star Wars dessert party for my May trip

YAY! You're going to love it. (The booze is great!)

I thought about auditing this year and putting more money towards upgrades in our house but decided on a Disneyland trip instead.

Wise choice!

My sister is also on spring break - it's not spring yet! But yay for having some time off from school.

Yeah, it was a bizarre time for "Spring Break," for sure.

Belated good luck! I hope you walked into the office with lots of time for FP+!

FP+ list looks great. That FoP thing is tough - but I think that if you had good luck with rope dropping it last time, you should be able to do it again this trip. Hopefully.

Looking forward to reading about how FP+ day went!

About to try and do a post! If not tonight, hopefully by the end of the week!

Um, yes, also not so enthused about adulting - could try to pay off my car quicker, but I am also going to "invest in my sanity"!

Adulting is for suckers and boring folks!

 

[Elevationist]

25 days until WDW!
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Hey, ya'll!

So apparently my pattern is going to be one post a month here? I'm sorry! I really did mean to do better. It's just so hard with juggling work and pet sitting and school and volunteering. I'm actually staying a 4-night stretch with these two very good doggos right now:

It's the end of the semester, so of course that means all the big final papers/projects/exams are coming due. In fact, I really should be working on an essay for my English class right now instead of writing this, yet here I am.

So let's see. The last time I was here, it was on FastPass Eve. I recall having all these big plans of regaling you all with a tale of a morning filled with technical glitches and last minutes changes. However, that was over a month ago now and I don't even remember what all happened. Whoops. There's been a few changes since then too, so I'll just show ya'll how my touring plans stand as of the last time I updated them (about 5 days ago):

I moved quite a few things around, but I'm mostly happy with the end result. I decided to just completely pass on Flight of Passage all together. My weightloss efforts haven't been going so well, and now I'm about 45 lbs heavier than I was last year when I just barely fit on it. So I'm not even going to waste my time (or dignity) on it right now. Maybe by my October trip, I'll be able to get some weight back off again. Orrrrrrr maybe I'll just continue to eat all the things. Because carbs are delicious.

Speaking of carbs, I did a thing. I told myself I wasn't going to do the thing this time, and that I was just going to go with the flow and not plan the thing out this time. But then when I started this PTR, some requests were made for the thing, so the thing was done. You're welcome!

Yep. My epically epic Flower & Garden outdoor kitchen list. I don't know that I'll necessarily be making it a goal to consume ALL the things on the list, like I have in the past. This is just more of a Wish List, of sorts. Things to keep my eye out for. Because they look/sound delicious!

The last thing I wanted to mention was that I made some pretty big changes to my travel/arrival day. Instead of crashing in Kissimmee for the night and making the short drive over to AKL and Boma for dinner (like I've done many, many times in the past), I switched it up. My hotel is now this joint...

The Monumental Hotel Orlando. It's a former Crown Plaza that s kinda dated and gets super-mixed reviews, but is perfectly located and is dirt cheap. Exactly my kind of place for one night! Especially since it's a really quick and easy drive (or Uber ride, I haven't decided yet) to my new dinner destination for the evening...

YEP! I'm now starting my trip off at Disney Springs on my arrival night! Normally I don't do anything at Disney until I check into my WDW resort hotel the next day, opting instead to use that one off-site night to explore other parts of Orlando. However, I want to go ahead and pick-up my Annual Pass (that way I don't have to stand in a ticket window line at Magic Kingdom the next morning), so I'll just pop on over to Disney Springs to get that taken care of. Since I'm there anyhow, I might as well have dinner, right? This was one place that I had booked for my October 2016 trip, but ended up cancelling at the last minute. So I'm excited to finally cross it off of my bucket list!

And that's the latest and greatest with what's going with this trip! Here's the itinerary overview, as it currently stands. (I don't think there will be anymore changes in the next 3.5 weeks, but knowing me, anything is possible.)

Oh! And I forgot to mention. My mom let me know this afternoon that my MagicBand arrived today! (I always have packages and anything important sent to her house because she's retired and home all day, and I live in an apartment where I don't love the idea of things being left on my doorstep.) My schedule is so jam-packed that I won't be able to make it over to her house to pick it up until Thursday afternoon. But it's still exciting to know that it's here! Because when the MagicBand arrives, that means it's almost DISNEY time! Which is just...

Wish me luck with all this end-of-the-semester stuff, ya'll! I'll do my best to get back here at least once before the actual trip, hopefully more!

 

[DonnaBeeGood]

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