Diznenut
Is it time to go? Is it? Huh Huh?
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2005
- Messages
- 101
DH and I went to Disney for our very first time in 1998 at the tender age of 32 and 31. We had no idea what we were doing, only that we were finally going to see Disney. The long of the story is that we took my parents with us, got a 3 br villa for 89.00 a night and went the week of Thanksgiving. It was a great trip, but we didn't get to do very much. We went to Universal Studios one day (before Islands of Adventure was built), Medieval Times one night, one day horsing around in Ripley's museum etc and Magic Kingdom on Thanksgiving day (HOW STUPID?????) I vowed we would return some day and "do it all".
Fast forward 3 years and we got the greatest gift of all times - a daughter. From the moment we got her, I started scheming on how I could get her to Disney before she was 31. Each year, I'd talk to DH about going, and each year he would say "Next Year".
In May of this year, I tried again " Honey, can we take DD to Disney this year? She's 8 years old now and if we wait much longer, it won't be as magical. She's about at that age of not-believing {insert Angela Lansbury singing from Bedknobs and Broomsticks here}. Can we please, huh, please???" {bat eyelashes and give puppy dog eyes for greater impact}
"I, I don't think we can afford it right now. Your business is still growing and I have all these extra duties with my new position. Maybe next year."
I had found a chink in the armor.
"If I can find a way for us to afford it, can we go? PLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEESE?"
"Ok, If you can fin..."
I never heard the rest of it. I was already online getting my notes together and scheming. How about the week of Thanksgiving - DD will be out of school and we'll only be working 3 days that week. Sounds good.
Ask the Monster in law if she wants to go. I need to know - NOW. She doesnt know - ask her a couple of weeks before we go. I can't do that. I need to know NOW. Going or not, going or not... and... she shoots and she's ignored! Fine, thats NOT GOING. There's 2 adults, 1 child for Disney. She'll get a trip to her sister in Kentucky while we are gone.
First thing first.. how much is it going to cost. What's the difference in onsite and offsite. OOOOO... Magic Your Way... with dining.... that would be nice. OMG it cost that much???? Ok.. breath.. you can do this. Inhale.. exhale.. ok... now, time to fix the budget.
So I sat down, figured out how much we would need to save to go and tweaked the budget. Hey! We CAN do this! Went to DH, proud of my figures and.. "I don't care about that. Planning is YOUR thing. Don't show me all those plans and figures just tell me when we're going and what to do." {Remember this - it will come into play later on the trip}. Ok-dokey. Drive down on 26th. Spend the night in a cheep hotel (ohh Best Western Movieland for 30 a night!) Onsite, 7 days, 6 nights, MYW with dining and tickets for 7 days. Mess with me and I'll plan the mother of all trips. Neener. as Robin would say "How ya like me now?"
As a card carrying, finger flying, chat-shortcutting, if-its-not-on-the-web-i-dont-need-it, "internet junkie", I did the logical thing; I hit the net for info on how to save money. As luck would have it, I stumbled over this really cool little site, badshoe.com and immediately immersed myself in the vacation shenanigans of a certain little Maine woman and her family. Ah hah! Maybe this is a way to get the hubby interested in Disney. "OH MY GOSH DH! You have got to hear about this! See, they were walking behind Brother and ..."
"If it has anything to do with Disney, I don't want to hear it."
"But honey, its funny. Just listen to this part."
And I'd read to him and would just bust a gut laughing. Look up and ... he's watching tv. Maybe I can trade him in on a newer model. This one is broken!
Well If he doesn't want to be involved, then he won't be involved. So I searched and found Robin at Disboards, where I lurked for a while, and at another board, where I signed up. It was around about this time that I discovered that the week of Thanksgiving is traditionally one of the busiest times of the year. YIKES! If there's anyway I can get DH to ever come back again, I need to make it as totally painless as possible. Thanksgiving is out. But the week AFTER thanksgiving is supposed to be great. "Um, honey, what do you think about maybe changing ..."
"I have told you, if it has anything to do with the 'D' word, I don't want to know. You figure it out and tell me a few weeks ahead of time so I can ask for time off."
"But, I need to ask you this - it's IMPORTANT"
"Sighs, ok what?"
"How about going the week AFTER thanksgiving? DD would have miss school that week but the crowds would be much lighter and it would be cooler and ..."
"WHatever you want I."
HEHEHEHHEHEHE
So I called Disney to get some questions answered and found out I could book online and pay a little at a time. JOY! RAPTURE! So I booked us, sent them the money I had already squirrelled away. I now had a date - Nov 27-Dec 3 at All Star Movies. Since I have a new car, we can drive down that saturday night. Staying onsite so we don't have to drive once there... Life is good!
I have a very dear friend who is a 200% disney freak. He and his wife go several times a year and they are working on moving there soon. I tell him we are going and he is overflowing with advice - you have to go to the Christmas Party... and the Candelight Processional.. and you have to get DD involved in pin trading.. and ... and... and...
"Hey DH.. oh never mind"
Time to redo the budget again to add Christmas party tickets, found DD some pins for trading, get my list together, 90 days is fast approaching and I have to figure out where we're going to eat.
"DH where do you want to eat. I mean what kind of food."
"I don't care as long as ONE NIGHT we go to Medieval Times. I loved that place!"
ARGHHH see, that's why I wanted your input in the beginning.
Since he has no other preference, I can book what I want. Which I call on day 89 and do. Redo the budget again, adding MT tickets to the mix.
I heard about the Princess Tea Party but its a little too steep for us. Enter Wonderland Tea Party. PEFECT. Booked and it's a surprise for DD.
By now I've given up on trying to involve "him" in any plans. Since he isn't interested, I'll just do what I WANT. And I WANT to fly instead of drive. So I started searching for a cheap airfare. I read about DING! and sign up for it. Hmmm.. $36.00 per person each way to Tampa. Ok, we can just get a car and drive from Tampa to Orlando for that price. Uh oh -tickets have to be for 25 instead of 27. Ok - 2 more days in Orlando. Find a cheap hotel - Booked. Flight on SW - Booked. But be on the lookout for fare to Orlando if possible.
Hurricane Katrina hit.
For the first time, he's actively talking to me about our plans. I ask him if we should cancel. He thinks a bit and says no. We really need this time and since everything is just about paid, we'll go ahead and go. YAY!!!
Last payment day came. Last payment made. We are all set! "Uh honey - I'm not sure I can go. We're having some problems at work.." I shoot him the dirtiest of all looks. "Look here Mister - we are going to Disney in November. If your company can't deal with you having ONE VACATION in 5 years of working there, they can kiss my *&%*#*@(%! - You are going and that's FINAL!"
"Okay Dokey boss!"
One day while drooling over my obsession, I mean plans for Disney vacation, I see a Disney special for the time we're going to be there. Hey - save money, buy souvenirs! I call and it's available but we'd have to move over to POP. Since I had been trying to decide between POP and ASMo in the beginning, its not a big choice for me. 200 savings if we go to POP. Sure! Then they are able to book us a car at the airport for our 2 days offsite for total 70.00. They can't do anything about the one day back to Tampa, as they have to have a minimum of 2 days to book. Ask me if we'd like the balance put on our room for charges. YES PLEASE! Call Alamo and using Disney code, I can get a car from Orlando to Tampa for 35.00.
OHHH Ding published 39.00 each way to ORLANDO from Nashville. Thank You!! I book it. Call Disney to see if we can move onsite on the 25th and use magical express. Sorry - booked solid on the 25th. 26th is available but it will add 290.00 to our cost. No thanks. We'll keep our 30.00 a night Best Western Movieland hotel room, thankyaveddymuch. Get Disney to change reservations on the car to Orlando Airport, 2 days only and cancel the car back to Tampa. Yeah! One less car to worry about - we can take Magical Express back to the airport!
T minus 30 days and I'm getting nervous. I've scanned all the boards, read everything I can and tried my best to get everyone involved. Hubby finally decides he wants to see a little of the plans. I show him. "What about the Moroccan place. I would like to eat there."
I swear if I didn't think my Passporter was about the closest you can get to a Bible, I would have smacked him right upside the head. Call Disney and pray I can change from Garden Grill to Restaurant Merrekesh. YES! and the CM asked me about the Candlelight Processional - were we interested in a package since it would be allowed on our Dining plan. Does a frog bump his butt when he hops? Of course we are interested! Cool beans - we are booked!
My birthday came and went. We're going to Disney - I don't need any gifts! October 28th I called about our insurance to make sure it covers the rental car. It doesnt. So I changed our plan. On the 29th, I had an accident and came darn close to totaling my car. Now we have no way to get around. Get a rental but insurance says I can't take it out of the immediate area and they cover it so no way to get to Paducah to drop off the Monster in law and to Nashville to catch our plane. Not that I would have been able put all our stuff in the super compact Ford Focus , but it would have been nice if I could have had that option!
We decide to go ahead and get DH a new truck. It cuts into our play money for Disney but at least we are still going. YAY!!! Come on life.. throw me another curve ball.. We're goin.. Neener Neener!
Finalize all our plans. Mom's having a cow because we aren't going to be there Thanksgiving day. Ok Ok. How about EARLY thanksgiving lunch? That's ok. So we need rooms. Get a room for 1 day in Tupelo and 1 day in Paducah . Use Holiday Inn rewards card and book for 89.00 a night (YIKES). Go ahead and secure it. Need parking. Reserve online for Nov 25 - Dec 3rd and get a rate of 44.00 for the week plus 7.95 each of the 2 additional days. Make reservations for our Chihuahua at the Vet. 11 days for 130.00. Everything paid for except for parking and vet. We're all set!
T-minus 1 week and counting. Monster in law says "Ya'll are going to have a great time. I wish I could go." - "Yes, we're going to have a great time, thanks." Too bad - so sad. Ignore me now, huh.
Wake up on Saturday before leaving on Wednesday and DH is sick. Head pounding, aching, fever, snort and snot everywhere sick. See thats what you get for not listening to my plans! I dose him on meds and come Tuesday, DD wakes up with it. Don't breath on me! I'm not going to be sick in Disney~!!! Pack the bags and get ready to leave. Wake up Wednesday and yep.. Im sick. All three of us with bronchitis. I don't care - we are still going!
Disney here we come!
Plans:
Wednesday - Tupelo. Spend one night in Holiday Inn Express
Thursday - Lunch with folks, on to Kentucky. Spend night in HIE
Friday catch plane to Orlando. Get car, check in Best Western Movieland
Saturday night - Medieval Times
Sunday Check into POP and hit the parks, Dinner at Whispering Canyon
Monday - Breakfast at Crystal Palace, DDs Wonderland Party
Tuesday - Lunch at 50s Prime Time
Wednesday - Lunch at Le Cellier
Thursday - MVMCP
Friday - Breakfast at Chef Mickey, Candlelight Processional / Dinner at Morocco
Saturday - Pack up, play then catch ME to airport. Spend night in hotel (somewhere between Nashville and Paducah)
Sunday drive home
"Oh but the best laid of plans....."
Fast forward 3 years and we got the greatest gift of all times - a daughter. From the moment we got her, I started scheming on how I could get her to Disney before she was 31. Each year, I'd talk to DH about going, and each year he would say "Next Year".
In May of this year, I tried again " Honey, can we take DD to Disney this year? She's 8 years old now and if we wait much longer, it won't be as magical. She's about at that age of not-believing {insert Angela Lansbury singing from Bedknobs and Broomsticks here}. Can we please, huh, please???" {bat eyelashes and give puppy dog eyes for greater impact}
"I, I don't think we can afford it right now. Your business is still growing and I have all these extra duties with my new position. Maybe next year."
I had found a chink in the armor.
"If I can find a way for us to afford it, can we go? PLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEESE?"
"Ok, If you can fin..."
I never heard the rest of it. I was already online getting my notes together and scheming. How about the week of Thanksgiving - DD will be out of school and we'll only be working 3 days that week. Sounds good.
Ask the Monster in law if she wants to go. I need to know - NOW. She doesnt know - ask her a couple of weeks before we go. I can't do that. I need to know NOW. Going or not, going or not... and... she shoots and she's ignored! Fine, thats NOT GOING. There's 2 adults, 1 child for Disney. She'll get a trip to her sister in Kentucky while we are gone.
First thing first.. how much is it going to cost. What's the difference in onsite and offsite. OOOOO... Magic Your Way... with dining.... that would be nice. OMG it cost that much???? Ok.. breath.. you can do this. Inhale.. exhale.. ok... now, time to fix the budget.
So I sat down, figured out how much we would need to save to go and tweaked the budget. Hey! We CAN do this! Went to DH, proud of my figures and.. "I don't care about that. Planning is YOUR thing. Don't show me all those plans and figures just tell me when we're going and what to do." {Remember this - it will come into play later on the trip}. Ok-dokey. Drive down on 26th. Spend the night in a cheep hotel (ohh Best Western Movieland for 30 a night!) Onsite, 7 days, 6 nights, MYW with dining and tickets for 7 days. Mess with me and I'll plan the mother of all trips. Neener. as Robin would say "How ya like me now?"
As a card carrying, finger flying, chat-shortcutting, if-its-not-on-the-web-i-dont-need-it, "internet junkie", I did the logical thing; I hit the net for info on how to save money. As luck would have it, I stumbled over this really cool little site, badshoe.com and immediately immersed myself in the vacation shenanigans of a certain little Maine woman and her family. Ah hah! Maybe this is a way to get the hubby interested in Disney. "OH MY GOSH DH! You have got to hear about this! See, they were walking behind Brother and ..."
"If it has anything to do with Disney, I don't want to hear it."
"But honey, its funny. Just listen to this part."
And I'd read to him and would just bust a gut laughing. Look up and ... he's watching tv. Maybe I can trade him in on a newer model. This one is broken!
Well If he doesn't want to be involved, then he won't be involved. So I searched and found Robin at Disboards, where I lurked for a while, and at another board, where I signed up. It was around about this time that I discovered that the week of Thanksgiving is traditionally one of the busiest times of the year. YIKES! If there's anyway I can get DH to ever come back again, I need to make it as totally painless as possible. Thanksgiving is out. But the week AFTER thanksgiving is supposed to be great. "Um, honey, what do you think about maybe changing ..."
"I have told you, if it has anything to do with the 'D' word, I don't want to know. You figure it out and tell me a few weeks ahead of time so I can ask for time off."
"But, I need to ask you this - it's IMPORTANT"
"Sighs, ok what?"
"How about going the week AFTER thanksgiving? DD would have miss school that week but the crowds would be much lighter and it would be cooler and ..."
"WHatever you want I."
HEHEHEHHEHEHE
So I called Disney to get some questions answered and found out I could book online and pay a little at a time. JOY! RAPTURE! So I booked us, sent them the money I had already squirrelled away. I now had a date - Nov 27-Dec 3 at All Star Movies. Since I have a new car, we can drive down that saturday night. Staying onsite so we don't have to drive once there... Life is good!
I have a very dear friend who is a 200% disney freak. He and his wife go several times a year and they are working on moving there soon. I tell him we are going and he is overflowing with advice - you have to go to the Christmas Party... and the Candelight Processional.. and you have to get DD involved in pin trading.. and ... and... and...
"Hey DH.. oh never mind"
Time to redo the budget again to add Christmas party tickets, found DD some pins for trading, get my list together, 90 days is fast approaching and I have to figure out where we're going to eat.
"DH where do you want to eat. I mean what kind of food."
"I don't care as long as ONE NIGHT we go to Medieval Times. I loved that place!"
ARGHHH see, that's why I wanted your input in the beginning.
Since he has no other preference, I can book what I want. Which I call on day 89 and do. Redo the budget again, adding MT tickets to the mix.
I heard about the Princess Tea Party but its a little too steep for us. Enter Wonderland Tea Party. PEFECT. Booked and it's a surprise for DD.
By now I've given up on trying to involve "him" in any plans. Since he isn't interested, I'll just do what I WANT. And I WANT to fly instead of drive. So I started searching for a cheap airfare. I read about DING! and sign up for it. Hmmm.. $36.00 per person each way to Tampa. Ok, we can just get a car and drive from Tampa to Orlando for that price. Uh oh -tickets have to be for 25 instead of 27. Ok - 2 more days in Orlando. Find a cheap hotel - Booked. Flight on SW - Booked. But be on the lookout for fare to Orlando if possible.
Hurricane Katrina hit.
For the first time, he's actively talking to me about our plans. I ask him if we should cancel. He thinks a bit and says no. We really need this time and since everything is just about paid, we'll go ahead and go. YAY!!!
Last payment day came. Last payment made. We are all set! "Uh honey - I'm not sure I can go. We're having some problems at work.." I shoot him the dirtiest of all looks. "Look here Mister - we are going to Disney in November. If your company can't deal with you having ONE VACATION in 5 years of working there, they can kiss my *&%*#*@(%! - You are going and that's FINAL!"
"Okay Dokey boss!"
One day while drooling over my obsession, I mean plans for Disney vacation, I see a Disney special for the time we're going to be there. Hey - save money, buy souvenirs! I call and it's available but we'd have to move over to POP. Since I had been trying to decide between POP and ASMo in the beginning, its not a big choice for me. 200 savings if we go to POP. Sure! Then they are able to book us a car at the airport for our 2 days offsite for total 70.00. They can't do anything about the one day back to Tampa, as they have to have a minimum of 2 days to book. Ask me if we'd like the balance put on our room for charges. YES PLEASE! Call Alamo and using Disney code, I can get a car from Orlando to Tampa for 35.00.
OHHH Ding published 39.00 each way to ORLANDO from Nashville. Thank You!! I book it. Call Disney to see if we can move onsite on the 25th and use magical express. Sorry - booked solid on the 25th. 26th is available but it will add 290.00 to our cost. No thanks. We'll keep our 30.00 a night Best Western Movieland hotel room, thankyaveddymuch. Get Disney to change reservations on the car to Orlando Airport, 2 days only and cancel the car back to Tampa. Yeah! One less car to worry about - we can take Magical Express back to the airport!
T minus 30 days and I'm getting nervous. I've scanned all the boards, read everything I can and tried my best to get everyone involved. Hubby finally decides he wants to see a little of the plans. I show him. "What about the Moroccan place. I would like to eat there."
I swear if I didn't think my Passporter was about the closest you can get to a Bible, I would have smacked him right upside the head. Call Disney and pray I can change from Garden Grill to Restaurant Merrekesh. YES! and the CM asked me about the Candlelight Processional - were we interested in a package since it would be allowed on our Dining plan. Does a frog bump his butt when he hops? Of course we are interested! Cool beans - we are booked!
My birthday came and went. We're going to Disney - I don't need any gifts! October 28th I called about our insurance to make sure it covers the rental car. It doesnt. So I changed our plan. On the 29th, I had an accident and came darn close to totaling my car. Now we have no way to get around. Get a rental but insurance says I can't take it out of the immediate area and they cover it so no way to get to Paducah to drop off the Monster in law and to Nashville to catch our plane. Not that I would have been able put all our stuff in the super compact Ford Focus , but it would have been nice if I could have had that option!
We decide to go ahead and get DH a new truck. It cuts into our play money for Disney but at least we are still going. YAY!!! Come on life.. throw me another curve ball.. We're goin.. Neener Neener!
Finalize all our plans. Mom's having a cow because we aren't going to be there Thanksgiving day. Ok Ok. How about EARLY thanksgiving lunch? That's ok. So we need rooms. Get a room for 1 day in Tupelo and 1 day in Paducah . Use Holiday Inn rewards card and book for 89.00 a night (YIKES). Go ahead and secure it. Need parking. Reserve online for Nov 25 - Dec 3rd and get a rate of 44.00 for the week plus 7.95 each of the 2 additional days. Make reservations for our Chihuahua at the Vet. 11 days for 130.00. Everything paid for except for parking and vet. We're all set!
T-minus 1 week and counting. Monster in law says "Ya'll are going to have a great time. I wish I could go." - "Yes, we're going to have a great time, thanks." Too bad - so sad. Ignore me now, huh.
Wake up on Saturday before leaving on Wednesday and DH is sick. Head pounding, aching, fever, snort and snot everywhere sick. See thats what you get for not listening to my plans! I dose him on meds and come Tuesday, DD wakes up with it. Don't breath on me! I'm not going to be sick in Disney~!!! Pack the bags and get ready to leave. Wake up Wednesday and yep.. Im sick. All three of us with bronchitis. I don't care - we are still going!
Disney here we come!
Plans:
Wednesday - Tupelo. Spend one night in Holiday Inn Express
Thursday - Lunch with folks, on to Kentucky. Spend night in HIE
Friday catch plane to Orlando. Get car, check in Best Western Movieland
Saturday night - Medieval Times
Sunday Check into POP and hit the parks, Dinner at Whispering Canyon
Monday - Breakfast at Crystal Palace, DDs Wonderland Party
Tuesday - Lunch at 50s Prime Time
Wednesday - Lunch at Le Cellier
Thursday - MVMCP
Friday - Breakfast at Chef Mickey, Candlelight Processional / Dinner at Morocco
Saturday - Pack up, play then catch ME to airport. Spend night in hotel (somewhere between Nashville and Paducah)
Sunday drive home
"Oh but the best laid of plans....."
