Going to Disney Without The Kids... 'Cause We're Evil Like That!! ~ updated 9/21

[Lady Lallie]

I have driven twice and flown twice. I prefer flying but if the airfare prices keep going up and up then we might have to looking into driving. It takes 24 hours from here, I so wish it was shorter.

 

[If U Had Wings]

It will be nice for you to get to spend the time together in the car. I made the drive from CT to Orlando 2 years ago and my mother flipped out at the end and said she was never driving down again. She hates being stuck in a car for that period of time. She's not a huge fan of flying either, but at least it's only two hours and she's off.

I don't mind driving as long as there is stuff to see and I don't have to rush. It's probably why I'm not a huge fan of driving to Florida. Lots of states to drive through with nothing to see out the window. I still hope to take a cross country drive (or maybe a train ride) one day, but slowly with lots of backroads so I can see things and stop wherever looks interesting.

 

[willwriteforears]

For me the worst part about the driving is the sitting for 24 hours straight. After about 15 or so my behind starts getting sore and numb

Yup, stretching breaks are essential for that long a trip.

According to Yahoo maps, it'd be a 27.5 hour drive for me to get to Orlando. I don't think I could handle it! My hat's off to you.

I don't mind driving as long as there is stuff to see and I don't have to rush. It's probably why I'm not a huge fan of driving to Florida. Lots of states to drive through with nothing to see out the window. I still hope to take a cross country drive (or maybe a train ride) one day, but slowly with lots of backroads so I can see things and stop wherever looks interesting.

See, if the point of the trip was the drive (or train ride) with selected stops along the way, I could do that. But when the destination is the point, I love the speed of flying.

Plus, if I'm flying solo, it's at least comparable with how much I'd spend on gas.

 

[ILuvCrush]

Glad you and DH were able to (truly) compromise!

I'm also a planner, but I can do okay with spontaneity if it's planned in, e.g., "on this day we won't plan anything and will do whatever whenever." It sounds like you did something similar!

I LOVE it PLANNED Spontinaeity!!!!!

Now that's something my type A brain can wrap itself around!

Paula

 

[ILuvCrush]

Your pretrippie is too fun...I'm staying!!
(besides i'm an evil Mom AND wife....I'm leaving them ALL at home )

Paula

 

[ForeverDance]

I have driven twice and flown twice. I prefer flying but if the airfare prices keep going up and up then we might have to looking into driving. It takes 24 hours from here, I so wish it was shorter.

24 hours for us too... I also wish it was shorter.

I don't mind driving as long as there is stuff to see and I don't have to rush. It's probably why I'm not a huge fan of driving to Florida. Lots of states to drive through with nothing to see out the window. I still hope to take a cross country drive (or maybe a train ride) one day, but slowly with lots of backroads so I can see things and stop wherever looks interesting.

I agree, the drive to Florida isn't terribly interesting. Although we do drive through Tennesse which is really pretty... except we tend to hit this one at night

Yup, stretching breaks are essential for that long a trip.

According to Yahoo maps, it'd be a 27.5 hour drive for me to get to Orlando. I don't think I could handle it! My hat's off to you.

Our drive the first year was 24 hours almost exactly; we left around 4pm and checked in around 4pm the next day. But last year with all the construction it was actually closer to 28 1/2

Your pretrippie is too fun...I'm staying!!
(besides i'm an evil Mom AND wife....I'm leaving them ALL at home )

Paula

Thanks and

I see I have some things to learn from you about being truly evil

 

[TexasBelle]

Hello Foreverdance...

I want you to know that I'm loving your pretrip report. Going without the kids is so much fun.

My DH and I, of 3 years, went to DisneyWorld, BoardWalk last year from Sept. 12 - Sept 18. Just about the same time that your planning your trip. We had a blast. The crowd levels were soooo low, the longest we waited was 40 minutes for Soarin.

I have a DS20, DS17, and DD14. Although DS's knew that they weren't going with us but DD sure was disappointed when she realized that she was staying home with College Adopted Daughter. (Our first trip to DW was in 2006, and we surprised all 3 of the kids, they weren't aware of this trip until we arrivied at our airport 5:30am to catch our flight to Dallas - Orlando), so I think that is why DD thought just maybe she might be going to DisneyWorld with us.

Little did she know, DisneyWorld, without the kids.

I will say it was the best trip that we had. Our surprise trip turned into, I want to do this, no I want to do that, , or I'm tired or why can't we go to Downtown Disney, no I want to go to Disney Studio's. and so on and so forth.

DH and I are planner's so we had everyday planned to a "T". On the surprises trip there was so much of each park that we didn't get to see or ride and so on our "Trip without the kids", we wanted to ride all the rides and see all the sights. We also had "Free Dinning" with great ADR's and on saturday night of our trip, we had our anniversary dinner at Yachtmen's Steak House with a Bottle of Wine. (we don't drink much either and we never drink in front of my children). It was lots of fun, very romantic, DH even sent me a dozen red roses to our resort, I recieved them the night that we arrived.

We're going again Sept. 18th - 28th with DS17 and DD14, and my BF and BF's DH, & BF's DS who will be 5 on the trip. We'll be there for 10 days . That's one other thing that I learned from the surprise trip, that when traveling with children you need lots of down time to enjoy swimming, napping and just doing nothing. So I can't wait for 10 days at BeachClub Resort.

I'm looking forward in hearing more about your pre-trip and your trip. Enjoy every minutes of it.

TexasBelle

 

[ForeverDance]

Ok so the last 5 days were absolutely no fun at all! DD brought home the most horrific stomach virus from her sitter's and it just ransacked our family DD first got sick on Wednesday evening, I got sick very early Friday morning, and DH got sick Friday night. DS is the only one so far who did not end up with this horrible thing. I'll spare you the details but will say that the "special bucket" in our house has never ever gotten so much use

Hello Foreverdance...

I want you to know that I'm loving your pretrip report. Going without the kids is so much fun.

Thanks for joining. Sounds like you and your DH had a great time on your adult only trip. Hopefully ours will be as good.



ETA: Woohoo I just noticed that I hit the 1 month mark today! That deserves a happy dance

 

[If U Had Wings]

So sorry to hear that everyone was feeling lousy! That's so miserable, especially in the middle of summer. Hope your all feeling better today.

 

[willwriteforears]

Ugh, stomach viruses are awful! I hope your family has seen the end of it and DS won't get sick.

for the one-month mark!

 

[ForeverDance]

Thanks for the well wishes. We went and watched DS play soccer last night and he was definately feeling okay. He played really well and even scored a goal (though the team did lose ). So it looks like he managed to make it through without getting sick.

 

[Lady Lallie]

Being sick is the worst! Just think though, at least you are getting all the sickness out of the way before Disney!

 

[willwriteforears]

Being sick is the worst! Just think though, at least you are getting all the sickness out of the way before Disney!

I agree! It's awful being sick on a vacation, particularly one at Disney.

 

[ForeverDance]

Chapter 8: The Lists

It seems it is that time in my PTR to move on to the “real planning”. And for me that means making lists.

Our trip is under a month away now and there are still a million things left to do. That’s where my handy lists come in… uh… well… handy.




The To Do List

Today I am presenting for your enjoyment my To Do list. It is of course a list of all the trip related things I need to make sure I do before we leave.



Mousekeeping Envelopes – In the past I have had envelopes with various pictures and sayings and allowed the kids to alternate picking the envelope for the day. This trip I decided that DH and I don’t really need to have a selection of envelopes to chose from each day so we will have a single resort related design that will be on each of the 7 envelopes. I have chosen the design and purchased envelopes so the only steps left are to get them printed and fill them. In the past we have tipped $5 for our family of four. With it just being DH and I in a king room I was thinking that $2 would be sufficient. Any opinions?

Tip Envelopes – I stumbled across another DISer’s tip envelope designs and thought they were a terrific idea. With a tip envelope prepared ahead of time for each restaurant (filled with enough to cover the tip on what we anticipate we are going to eat plus a little extra) we can almost have that “prepaid feeling” that we use to love with the old DDP. I have saved off all the designs and have the envelopes so again the only things left to do are print and fill them.

Shopping – There are still quite a few things that I need to pick up for this trip and, as you might imagine, this little item has a whole list unto itself… perhaps that will be the next list I show you.

T-Shirts: There are a few t-shirt designs this year that DH has agreed to so I will be making those. I haven’t completed one of the designs yet (one I am doing myself) so I still have many things left to do here… yes this item has a whole list of it’s own as well.

Travelling Tunes – Each year before we head out for the long drive we put together a bunch of CDs with “travelling tunes” on them. They are really just a mix of our current and past favourite songs… things that get us pumped and keep us awake on the long journey. DH and I still have to sit down and decide which 1,000,000 songs we want to include this year so there is a lot of work left. Anyone have any suggestions on a great travelling tunes?

Documentation for DMom & DDad – I need to put together all the information that my parents will need while they are looking after the kids. Things like doctor and dentist information, activity schedules, etc. I am also going to write up a consent form for medical/dental. I’m not sure we actually need this in Canada because I couldn’t find any solid evidence either way, but I figure better for them to have it and not need it then need it and not have it.

US Dollars/Traveller’s Cheques – Something many of you probably don’t need to worry about, but since I am Canadian it is rather important that I pick up some US Cash and Traveller’s Cheques. We typically get a small amount in cash (on top of the money for the envelopes) and the rest of our spending money in traveller’s cheques. Lucky for me I work at a Financial Institution so I get all my traveller’s cheques for free

Pack – Yeah I know this one goes without saying, but I wouldn’t want my list to be incomplete and so there it is.

Clean – I hate travelling in a dirty car and I hate coming home to a dirty house so I will be finding time to make sure both the van and house are **** and span before we leave.



That pretty much covers it... for now… because you know I am going to find a million other things I need to add to the list over the next couple weeks.

I thought writing that all out would make me feel on top of things, but it is making me realize just how much there is left to do I guess on the up side, I am going to be very busy so the next few weeks should go by quickly… I hope.


Up Next: The To Buy List

 

[Lady Lallie]

Sometimes that is how my lists make me feel, all panicked with not enough time!

I think you will be fine though, at least you have everything you need to do all in one place, I find that helpful.

I printed out all of my tip envelopes, I just need to fill them.

I am excited for more lists.

 

[willwriteforears]

Why does it not surprise me to see that LL is the first to reply to a post involving lists!

That is a good to-do list, though! I agree with you on the medical releases for your kids--better to have them and not need them than to need them and not have them!

Will you post pictures of your tip envelopes when you have them printed out? I'd love to see them!

 

[ForeverDance]

I am excited for more lists.

I knew you'd appreciate this section of my PTR

Why does it not surprise me to see that LL is the first to reply to a post involving lists!

Oh there was no doubt in my mind who would be first

Will you post pictures of your tip envelopes when you have them printed out? I'd love to see them!

You bet

 

[Lady Lallie]

Why does it not surprise me to see that LL is the first to reply to a post involving lists!

I knew you'd appreciate this section of my PTR



Oh there was no doubt in my mind who would be first

Guilty as charged!

 

[ForeverDance]

It took me almost all day but I finally realized that I am down to exactly 4 weeks before we leave

... at this moment in 4 weeks...
... I will be wishing away the last 45 minutes of the work day

Yep DH and I are both working the day we leave for Disney. In fact DH is on the "late shift" that day so he works until 6:00 pm (he normally gets off at 3:30pm)

BUT we will be on our way that day

 

[willwriteforears]

It took me almost all day but I finally realized that I am down to exactly 4 weeks before we leave

... at this moment in 4 weeks...
... I will be wishing away the last 45 minutes of the work day

Yep DH and I are both working the day we leave for Disney. In fact DH is on the "late shift" that day so he works until 6:00 pm (he normally gets off at 3:30pm)

BUT we will be on our way that day

I'm sure that last work day will be really draggy for you and DH both.

But once it's over you'll be able to hop in the car!