How is a Disney Trip Like a Writing Desk: A PTR through Wonderland UPDATED: 9/18/10

[creativeamanda]

Tink, I'm so sorry about this, but like I said, the trip of your dream will happen. And when it does, it will be awesome!

 

[creativeamanda]

Gosh--solo is great--I hope you and bf do get to go together sometime.

 

[jenjolt]

Can't wait to hear about your solo plans!!!!

 

[Lady Lallie]

Solo can be so much fun! I'm excited for you, Tink.

 

[Charleston Princess]

Sorry to read about the change in plans, Tink, but I think a solo trip will still be fun.

 

[brookelizabeth]

Have you ever gone solo? I think you will have a wonderful time!!! Looking forward to the adjusted plans!

 

[TarzansKat]

God, I wish I could go.

Barring that, I know you'll have a good time.

(And I think I'm Leia. But I'm not sure. I just know I'm not Although sometimes the boys channel the dark side, that's for sure...)

P.S. Have you ever taken the online quiz to find out which Star Wars character you are? In truth, I'm Obi Wan. Wise TK is. Strong with the force. Strike me down and I shall become more powerful...

Okay, I'll stop now.

 

[If U Had Wings]

You have a wonderful attitude about everything. Your going to have a wonderful relaxing time on your trip. I wish we were going to be there at the same time so we could meet up.

And I want to know do you only move when your heading out the door to Disney? You were moving right near your last trip too weren't you? You have to stop adding so much packing stress to your trips. At the very least the two of you should be getting to be experts at packing.

 

[Tinkerbellarella]

"Goodbye, sweet hat." ~ The Cheshire Cat

The evening of Monday, August 30th was an interesting one in the Tinkerbellarella household.

Hm. Understatement much?

At 6 p.m. BF attended his informational firefighter meeting, promised to be chock full of all of the relevant info. necessary for preparing for the remaining physical tests and the start of the academy.

At 7:16 p.m., while on the train ride home, I received a text that rocked my world (and my World). It ultimately blew our plans out of the water on two big-ticket items:

1. BF would not be able to go on our trip due to mandatory testing taking place the week of our trip that cannot be rescheduled
2. BF would need to be a resident of the next city over (where he will be a ) by Oct. 12…almost a full month earlier than we’d thought and than we’d been planning for (there’s a residency requirement for the first year)

I called him quickly to confirm that I understood these two items correctly and then told him we’d speak more when I got home (as he was in the car with two buddies also joining the force).

I then made two more phone calls – the first to my parents. When my dad picked up the phone I tried to be brave and just factually state my disappointment and move on. As soon as my dad said, “Aw, Nik, that sucks” the tears started to flow and wouldn’t stop. Dad tried to soothe me but quickly passed me on to my mom with an “It’ll all work out. I love you. Here’s your mother.” My mom calmed me down a little and helped me start to think rationally about these two big wrenches thrown oh-so-unceremoniously in our otherwise well-planned lives. We both agreed that I needed to be level-headed by the time I got home so that I could help siphon away some of the stress BF was feeling about this info. and all the other stuff he hadn’t even gotten to share with me yet. (BF isn’t great with change.) I was calm when I hung up.

My second call was to my Kitty Kat, who knew EXACTLY why I was calling when she picked up the phone. (Further evidence of The Force. ) She gave me a great verbal hug and also tried to strategize at least the trip part of things with me. She gave me a couple of ideas I hadn’t thought of and by the time I was driving home, I was feeling on a much more even keel. Still disappointed…but with options.

I was also determined that BF not know my initial level of disappointment, which I knew would upset him. I knew it would dissipate once we came up with a trip resolution and could focus on the other stuff we needed to take care of that was far more important. Like moving in 4 weeks when I’ll be away for one whole one. Oh, and finding a place to live.

When I got home the air was thick enough to cut with a knife. And so the discussions began. BF relayed all of the info. he’d gotten, including details about the academy, buying gear, confirming that his time in the academy is paid (THANK GOD), etc. We hashed out plans and back-up plans and back-up plans for the back-up plans for finding a place and moving.

Then we started to discuss our options for the trip. We didn’t want to have to eat any of the money, for the trip or the airfare. And frankly, BF didn’t care if I still went or not. He was only worried about how sad I was that he couldn’t go. (He’s such a keeper.) He said he felt bad and I reassured him I was fine (and with every minute that passed I was more and more fine). We both agreed that I would first see if my SIL-to-be could go and, if not, I’d turn this into a solo trip. We’d then plan for him to join me for hopefully all of, but if not, part of, the Feb./Mar. ½ Marathon trip.

(This morning I had this thought: While I don’t know that BF is specifically disappointed that he’s not going to Disney, he was disappointed that this trip we’d been planning together was delayed, and shoot, he's so darn tootin' sweet!)

I called my brother and he and my SIL-to-be spoke about the trip. No go. She can’t get the time off from work. I had myself a good think. Anyone else I could think of to take BF’s place couldn’t go because they had kids, couldn’t get the time off or didn’t have the $. So that left the option of a solo trip.

At first I was hesitant. Would I be miserable missing BF? Would I be lonely? Would I feel guilty? I’ve done a half dozen solo trips and I LURVE traveling to the World with just me myself and I(rene) but this was different. BF and I talked again. He expressed that if I went on this trip, he would still take the week off from work and would use it to prepare for his tests and to physically and mentally get himself together for all that is ahead of him. He encouraged me to go. To have a good time. I thought a little more. I NEED a vaca. Work has been crazy. If I knew that I had BF’s sincere blessing (which I do) and thought of this as a time to reconnect with ME (NOMagicalExpress) in my favorite place in the world (and the World) wouldn’t it make sense to go? The moving plans we’d come up with didn’t require that I be home that week so there really wasn’t any reason not to go.

I never really thought I’d have to convince myself to go to Disney and have a good time. My world shook a little.

It was decided then. The only thing left to do was call the airline and call Disney. I wasn’t sure how the airfare would work out seeing I booked online and it was a non-refundable fare. I worried for naught. Jamie in Southwest Customer Service assured me they’d just credit us travel funds good until May of next year for the full amount of the fare.

(Hopefully to be used for BF to see me cross that 1/2 marathon finish line!)

As for Disney, the night before I’d called to see what our options were. I spoke with the most amazing CM named Christopher. Hands down the best phone experience with Disney EVER. He assured me that I would not lose a dime. If I dropped BF from the reservation, that would only qualify as a change fee, not a cancellation fee, and they’d waive it regardless. If we had to cancel altogether, again, we’d get a full refund and they’d waive the cancellation fee. He said that Disney wouldn’t penalize a guest for such a wonderful event, especially considering he was becoming a firefighter. He reiterated that they take care of their guests best they can, particularly military and emergency personnel. He also took the time to ask me how I felt about the whole thing, to reassure me and, most of all to make me laugh.

So, with the plan decided, I called Disney back Tuesday morning, spoke with Edith and had the reservation changed. We removed the ‘first trip together’ celebration ( ) and the request for the King bed. I asked that she leave the request for the 70’s area on there, but I’m not particularly married to that anymore and am thinking of doing online check-in and just seeing what I get. Also, we left it with the DxDP. I figured I wanted to give it a shot anyway. See if it was worth it. That way I know better what I want to do for 2011.

The only part of the trip we have to “eat”, so to speak, is the extra Halloween Party ticket we now have. I asked if there was any way it could be refunded, given the circumstances, because frankly I’d rather someone else be able to go should that night sell out than for me to have a ticket that won’t be used. Nope. So if anyone needs a ticket for the MNSSHP on 9/23/10, let me know. It’s yours.

And no, I shan’t be standing outside the MK scalping the ticket at 6:30 p.m.

Pssst…hey you…wanna see the Headless Horseman ride? I got your ticket right here.



What I think I might actually do is bring the ticket down with me and if during the week I bump into another solo traveler without a ticket to the event, just giving it to them. Life continues to pay it forward to us and we're so thankful for being so well blessed. Who am I not to continue it forward? BF agrees.

With the logistics taken care of I turned my attention to the “meat” of the trip. There were very specific things I wanted to change/not do because they were going to be very ‘BF and I’ things. Things I knew very well could make me sad and miss BF on this trip (not that I won’t anyway, but moreso).

So, now:

*I’ll no longer be dressing up for MNSSHP. I’m going to return the costume pieces I’ve gotten. This is just something that BF and I planned together so I’d rather table it for another trip
*Sci-Fi and WCC – both chosen with BF specifically in mind
*Jellyrolls – I’d be thinking of him the whole time

One thing I didn’t change was our Cali Grill ADR. I think I’ll be ok at this one. The food is spectacular and, frankly, I couldn’t really find anything else to replace it with.

And speaking of ADRs…I was nervous. What the heck was I going to be able to get 19 days out from a trip during Free Dining?!?!

Everything I wanted except for ONE thing.



I know!

I had looked at the schedule we’d set as far as park days go and decided to keep it. So it was just a matter of fitting in the food.

And thus I give you…

Tinkerbellarella’s Sept. 2010 (Now Solo) Trip Schedule V. 2.0

Sunday, 9/19/10
*7:00 a.m. flight, due into MCO by 9:55 a.m.
*ME, hopefully with an arrival at POP by 11:30 a.m.
*Check-in and drop carry-on in the room or with Bell Services depending on whether or not the room is ready
*Head to DHS
*Stop by Guest Services to upgrade my ticket to an AP (we decided this made the most sense considering I have the trip in Feb.)
*4:35 p.m. ADR @ 50’s Prime Time Café
*Fantasmic! @ 8:00 p.m.

Monday, 9/20/10
*8:40 a.m. ADR @ Kona Café
*Head to the MK until about 1:30 p.m.
*2:00 p.m. ADR for Tea @ the Garden View Lounge (I couldn’t believe they still had availability!!)
*Back to the MK for a couple of hours
*5:40 p.m. ADR @ Citricos (Quattro Formaggi Potatoes here I come!)
*Back to the MK for the 8:00 p.m. showing of MSEP and the 9:00 p.m. showing of Wishes!

Tuesday, 9/21/10
*Breakfast using a couple of snack credits @ Everything POP
*Head over to Epcot and hit up Future World
*12:00 p.m. ADR @ Marrakesh (now, a lot of times this in the ONLY restaurant available during FD and people take it because it’s all they can get. There was actually availability for a bunch of different restaurants but I want to try this one and thankfully getting the ADR for the exact time I wanted was easy.)
*Back to Future World or wander around the WS until about 3 p.m.
*Head back to the resort to freshen up and change then head to the Contemporary
*5:45 p.m. ADR @ Cali Grill
*Back to the resort, possibly take a dip in the pool, and make an earlier night of it

Wednesday,9/22/10
*8:20 a.m. ADR @ Boma (decided to keep this one since it was one of my picks for our trip; I just moved it to a different day)
*Head over to the AK
*12:00 p.m. ADR @ Yak & Yeti (I was considering giving this one up but have kept it for now. If I’m not feeling it that morning I’ll cancel and just have lunch at Flame Tree BBQ instead.)
*Stay at AK until about 6:30 p.m. and then hop on the bus to the Poly
*7:25 p.m. ADR @ Kona Café
*Given that I’ll likely be finishing dinner just around the time Wishes! ends at the MK and the park is closing up, sending hoards of people toward the busses, I’ll probably wander the resort a bit and perhaps commandeer a hammock before heading over there and catching a bus back to POP.

Thursday, 9/23/10
*Counter service breakfast from Everything’s POP
*Head over to DHS for Rope Drop
*12:35 p.m. ADR @ Brown Derby
*Stay at DHS until about 3:00 p.m. and then hop on a bus to the MK
*Do some of the stuff I missed Monday and then get my MNSSHP bracelet at 7:00 p.m.
*Counter service dinner at Casey’s
*Skip the earlier Boo-to-You parade in favor of trying some of my favorite attractions at night
*Watch the 9:30 p.m. Hallowishes and the 10:30 p.m. Boo to You parade
*Leave the park whenever I lose steam after that, but I’d like to try to experience the whole party

Friday, 9/24/10
*Sleep in
*9:40 a.m. ADR @ Kona Café (yes, again. I figure I can try the Macadamia Nut pancakes one day and have my Tonga Toast the other!)
*Take the monorail over to Epcot
*Ride anything in FW that I wanted to do again
*Take the Behind the Seeds tour if possible
*2:10 p.m ADR @ San Angel Inn (this was the only ADR I couldn’t get when I wanted it. I really wanted dinner so I could have my Filete Montuleno but there wasn’t a single opening all week long. So I decided to give the lunch menu a shot.)
*Wander the WS
*Watch Illuminations from Italy
*Epcot has evening EMH so I made a 9:30 p.m ADR for dinner at Tutto. I’d like to spend a long lazy day/night at Epcot. If I still have energy after I eat, I might stop in for a last ride or two in FW, otherwise I’ll just slowly make my way to the busses.

Saturday, 9/25/10
*Sleep in a little
*Pack, check out and drop off bags with Bell Services
*If, despite my efforts, I couldn’t sleep in and am ready to go early enough, I might take a jaunt over to MK for an hour or two and then head to DTD. If I successfully slept in, I’ll go right to DTD
*Shopping and lunch at DTD, from either EOS or WPE
*Use any remaining Snack Credits at Goofy’s
*Be back at POP, likely in time for a ME pick-up between 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.
*ME to the airport for 5:35 p.m flight

While I'm 100% happy with my schedule, I still have residual hesitation about the trip. It's slowly dissipating. I think it's more about getting used to the idea that this is a different idea than we'd planned. I really have no worries that I'll have a good time and this morning I felt the teensiest twinge of excitement when I realized that the trip was 18 days away.

I also just needed to get the schedule dealt with so I could put it aside. We have a lot of other considerations now and I want to focus on those. The long and short of it is that and Oct. 1 move-in date is just not feasible for us. So, BF and I will be spending some time apart. We know where we want to live, it's just a matter if the apartment can be made available a month earlier than anticipated. If not, BF will live with his mom for a few weeks and "visit" with me on the weekends and for a while each day during the week. If the apartment IS ready as of 10/1, he'll live there with the bare necessities (and apparently Baloo and King Louie), we'll keep our current place, and do all of the moving over the month of October. Either way, we now have the exactly the same amount of time to move all our carp than we'd originally planned.

Though I still cringe to think of all that moving entails. Time to pick up some banana boxes from Stop and Shop!

So, folks, that's the long and short (but mostly long) of it. I still have a few more things to update you about, namely packing, bag and shoe choices, the mundane stuff we drool over here on the DIS. The updates will be sporadic, though, since we'll be doing a million and one other things.

I'll also still definitely be doing a TR. And think about it, I have no excuse to NOT have great notes! I won't be doing live updates or FB updates though. With the exception of talking to BF, I'll be trying to avoid even looking at my Blackberry.

Can't wait to hear what y'all think. And I'll likely have that packing update sometime this weekend.

As always, thanks to my readers (including you lurkers ) for hanging in there and sticking by me!

 

[Tinkerbellarella]

Tink, I'm so sorry about this, but like I said, the trip of your dream will happen. And when it does, it will be awesome!

Gosh--solo is great--I hope you and bf do get to go together sometime.

We will. And we're working on the logistics of when already.

Can't wait to hear about your solo plans!!!!

I'm slowly coming around to being excited again. And it's a new kind of excitement.

Solo can be so much fun! I'm excited for you, Tink.

Thanks, friend.

Sorry to read about the change in plans, Tink, but I think a solo trip will still be fun.

I know it will be. It's just coming to terms with a different trip than was anticipated.

Have you ever gone solo? I think you will have a wonderful time!!! Looking forward to the adjusted plans!

I have, about a half dozen times. I consider myself a solo trip expert (read: enabler).

God, I wish I could go.

Dude.

DUDE.

I know. I SO know.

I wish you were going to be there too.

The World wouldn't know what hit it. TK and TINK for SEVEN DAYS? We'd leave the place in shambles...and with one less audioanimatronic.

(And I think I'm Leia. But I'm not sure. I just know I'm not Although sometimes the boys channel the dark side, that's for sure...)[/quotes]

That's right. I didn't want to wear the cinnamon buns. So I'm Luke. But with better fashion sense.

P.S. Have you ever taken the online quiz to find out which Star Wars character you are? In truth, I'm Obi Wan. Wise TK is. Strong with the force. Strike me down and I shall become more powerful...QUOTE]

Hm...I guess if I squint you look like a pretty Ewan McGregor.

You have a wonderful attitude about everything. Your going to have a wonderful relaxing time on your trip. I wish we were going to be there at the same time so we could meet up.

Me too.

And I actually thought of asking DIS buddies. But in such a short timeframe it's just not realistic.

And I want to know do you only move when your heading out the door to Disney? You were moving right near your last trip too weren't you?

You have to stop adding so much packing stress to your trips. At the very least the two of you should be getting to be experts at packing.

I think we're going to start teaching a class.

 

[arbolita]

I'm happy to hear (read) your new plans - I still think you'll have a great time! Does your phone have a camera on it? Maybe you can take occasional pictures and send them to BF so he can feel like he's a part of it too.

Since you will be there soon, maybe you can stop by guest services on your trip and fill out a compliment card for the CM's who helped you out on the phone. Even if it doesn't get to them right away, I'm sure Disney appreciates hearing that people notice when their employees really try to do wha they can to work with their guests.

 

[Tinkerbellarella]

I'm happy to hear (read) your new plans - I still think you'll have a great time! Does your phone have a camera on it? Maybe you can take occasional pictures and send them to BF so he can feel like he's a part of it too.

It does and I most certainly will! What a great idea.

Since you will be there soon, maybe you can stop by guest services on your trip and fill out a compliment card for the CM's who helped you out on the phone. Even if it doesn't get to them right away, I'm sure Disney appreciates hearing that people notice when their employees really try to do wha they can to work with their guests.

I was thinking about doing that or sending a letter. I used to work in reservations for a large hotel chain and it was always great to hear the compliments since people, in general, really only tend to send down the complaints.

Ooooh...you have a PTR. I'll have to head on over!

 

[Lady Lallie]

I really love your Solo plans. I think it will be a good trip, just different.

I'm glad the moving thing is working out as well, moving is always so very stressful.

 

[Tinkerbellarella]

I really love your Solo plans. I think it will be a good trip, just different.

I'm glad the moving thing is working out as well, moving is always so very stressful.

Thanks.

And look at YOU Miss I Only Have One Week...

which means I'm a couple days behind on your PTR.

Again.

 

[PrincessV]

I never really thought I’d have to convince myself to go to Disney and have a good time. My world shook a little.

I've been in that place. It's weird, isn't it?! But I'm so glad you're still going - it'll be different than what you'd planned, but I know you'll still enjoy it!

One thing I didn’t change was our Cali Grill ADR. I think I’ll be ok at this one. The food is spectacular and, frankly, I couldn’t really find anything else to replace it with.

No worries there... long ago, when I dined there with my now-ex-DH, I don't recall that we spoke much at all. Which probably says something about why he's my EX. But I think it says plenty about the CA Grill, too - the view was so pretty, the food so delicious, it was easy to jsut fall into silent bliss.

*Skip the earlier Boo-to-You parade in favor of trying some of my favorite attractions at night

EXCELLENT call! Last year, we did both parades; the first,. we had to camp out for a good spot. The later parade, we sat down 2 minutes before it started... ON Main St.!


One more, 'cause I know this hasn't been easy. It'll all work out fine, though!

 

[Tinkerbellarella]

I've been in that place. It's weird, isn't it?! But I'm so glad you're still going - it'll be different than what you'd planned, but I know you'll still enjoy it!

I had another little tingle of excitement.
Of course, it was food-related at the thought of the Chicken Bastilla on the Marrakesh menu.
But I'll take it!

But I think it says plenty about the CA Grill, too - the view was so pretty, the food so delicious, it was easy to jsut fall into silent bliss.

I was actually telling TK I thought they had counter-type seats that face the open kitchen. If so, I might ask for one of those. That would be neat! But if not, I'll be happy with whatever. I mean really, I could eat Sonoma Goat Cheese Ravioli on the subway and be happy.

: One more, 'cause I know this hasn't been easy. It'll all work out fine, though!

Oh how I wish I had some V (NOTrueBlood) on this trip. It'd be a great time to meet you. And I've got ALL this time now and could fill it with DIS meets! Ah well, next time perhaps.

 

[If U Had Wings]

It sounds like you have a good handle on your plans for your trip. I don't doubt that you still have some reservations about the trip. I think anytime your trip plans change mid-planning it's bound to happen. I found that happened to me last December when I switched from a solo trip to a trip with a friend. Part of me was never quite able to completely shake the idea that my trip was supposed to be a solo trip.

Just think though you will definitely be having a very relaxing vacation

 

[Tinkerbellarella]

Just think though you will definitely be having a very relaxing vacation

The more I think about it, the more I look forward to getting back into touch with ME. It's been such a crazy year for me/us and, this might sound a little funny, Disney grounds me. I have no problem being myself there, whether I'm solo or with others. I need that right now. Center my chi. Bring balance to the Force. Find my heading. Consume a LapuLapu.

Oops.

How'd that last one get in there?

 

[If U Had Wings]

The more I think about it, the more I look forward to getting back into touch with ME. It's been such a crazy year for me/us and, this might sound a little funny, Disney grounds me. I have no problem being myself there, whether I'm solo or with others. I need that right now. Center my chi. Bring balance to the Force. Find my heading. Consume a LapuLapu.

Oops.

How'd that last one get in there?

Because consuming LapuLapus is key to centering your chi and bringing balance to the Force.

Heading not so much.

 

[Tinkerbellarella]

Because consuming LapuLapus is key to centering your chi and bringing balance to the Force.

Heading not so much.