How Will I Make it?

[colleen costello]

Ugh. My countdown timer tells me it's over 8 months til I return to Disney World, and that has me miserable. I guess I need some good advice on coping with reality. Since we got DVC, we have been traveling pretty regularly. We went in March 2003 with my parents, then June 2003. Then my Dad wanted to try Thanksgiving with Mickey and we rented points and went in November 2003. Then did Spring break in March 2004. Then hubby had a conference so we went back to Orlando on Memorial Day weekend and stayed 9 nights... Wow. I guess made up for the years I lost when my kids were tiny and we didn't travel anywhere but to Grandma's...

So now reality has set in. I am not due to travel again until March 2005. Yet my "inner Disney clock" has rapidly adjusted to the "4 times a year" schedule and is figuring a trip is due around October! So for all you veterans out there, how do you cope with a dry spell? I am on the Boards all the time, and have been shopping for Disney stuff online. Been watching the cartoons and re-reading my Passporter diaries form trips past... But it's hard! I am WAY out of points and my hubby is ready to kill me because I keep saying "Can't we add a November trip?" I am turning 40 and really wanted to do it on Main Street...

How am I gonna make it????

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

I am turning 40 and really wanted to do it on Main Street...

I hope you mean turn 40?

Good luck waiting. We have a trip this Thanksgiving but due to our AP strategy, we will be waiting over a year to go again too. We will soon be experiencing what you are. Our best startegy is to plan.

HBC

 

[colleen costello]

YIKES... Didn't realize how that sounded. YES, I meant "turn 40 on Main Street."

 

[bwvBound]

I get through the dry spells by watching for "other than timeshare" vacation opportunities. Sign up for email notifications of specials from 11th Hour Vacations, Vacations To Go and other sites. Set up an airfare watch at Travelocity for your favorite places ... and then sit back waiting for great deals to come to you!!

My DH and I celebrated my 40th in Paris using a "last minute special" from American Airlines. For ~$720 pp we received: Roundtrip air for 2 from San Diego, 3 nights hotel, breakfast each morning, metro passes, tickets for the Louvre, a 90-minute river boat tour, and airport/hotel transfers. It was a short visit ... but we enjoyed every minute!!

 

[lenshanem]

Oh, someone else who understands WDW obsessions...

I visit the DIS boards often, watch Travel Channel Disney shows over and over on our Tivo, scrapbook Disney themed pages, etc. Drive everyone around me crazy, challenge myself day by day not to talk Disney with anyone (never works), etc.

I understand your pain. After this coming trip we won't be back again until our 10th wedding anniversary in FEBRUARY! (And then I'll be feeling guilty that my girls aren't coming, too!)

 

[Terry S]

I am right there with you Colleen and Shan! I watch the Travel Channel shows I have on tape all the time when I need a fix. We even have the Full House episode taped where they visit WDW and we watch that every once in awhile. Oh and I got a job at our local Disney Store just to get my Disney fix. It is wonderful to talk with the Guests that come in who actually want to talk Disney unlike other friends of mine who think I am a bit obsessed and are tired of listening to me talk about Disney.

 

[colleen costello]

Terry, you are so lucky. I planned to work at the Disney Store, where my obsession would be welcomed, but the darn store closed! It about killed me... Just as my youngest was getting a bit older and I could get out again, the store closed. The nearest one is about an hour away and some days I consider commuting! I would probably earn less than the gas money but it might be worth it!

Shan, thank goodness you have a trip coming soon. Mine came and went too early in the summer. Now I am stuck home with 2 kids who fight every minute and BOY do I need WDW!

 

[Pinnie]

And then there are some of us that go to our local TDS to chat with CMs about upcoming trips. Right Terry?

pinnie

 

[lillasmom]

Hello, my name is Kim and I'm a Disneyholic! I too watch the travel channel, and most recently to food channel (did anyone catch the wedding special the other day?). I have them taped and watch them when going through withdrawl. I haven't been able to get down to WDW since 2001. Life got in the way (marriage, baby, the Navy), and our trip in January can't come soon enough. I frequent the board, just got my Disney books from Amazon, look though Ebay for DVC stuff, and catch every Disney thing around. Others also seem to think I have a problem, but I call it stress management.

Hello to everyone, and I'm with you! All the way!

 

[tenaseewalker]

Terry What store do you work at? Laurel Park or Twelve Oaks?

 

[Terry S]

tenaseewalker.... I am a Laurel Park!

Pinnie... Too Funny, you were actually one of the people I was thinking of when I wrote that!

 

[tenaseewalker]

Terry, I was just in your store last week... Did you hear that Sunday is Briarwood's last day?

 

[Terry S]

tenaseewalker... Yes, we heard about Briarwood. It is very sad to see one of our local stores closing.

 

[StormalongKay]

Well its a relief to know other people get depressed about Disney droughts too! I just called yesterday and got waitlisted for 5 days in early Dec. I know we probably won't get it, but it helped my mood.

So Colleen, how about a mini vacation somewhere near you? Overnight at a B&B or drive to your nearest big city, etc. Family Fun magazine (published by Disney) came out with Vacation guides for each major region of the country. I picked up the one for my area and we just take off for the weekend using their suggestions. So far they haven't failed!

 

[colleen costello]

StormalongKay, great advice. We already went to our favorite Indiana amusement park, Holiday World. It's really fun. Trying to plan something else for a weekend later in the summer. What I really want, though, is an extra trip to Disney!

 

[kimmy-man]

It's good to hear that others watch these programs over and over! I watch our vacation planning video sometimes just to get the feel of Disney again!
Just a suggestion:
When I think I can't stand waiting anymore, we have a Disney day.
We watch videos, look at trip pictures and plan our next vacation. I even make "Disney" foods, like Mickey pancakes, or those chocolate dipped frozen bananas (yum!)
It's just enough of a fix to keep me going for a while.

 

[Pet1021]

Wow until I counted that I didn't realize it was really that long! The only way I am surviving the wait till our Aug 2005 trip is living off the memories of last years wonderful Disney cruise/WDW vacation. When ever I feel sad I whip out my pictures or my dolphin Encounter video and watch....lenshanem and Lillasmom I am right with you about watching the Travel channel and yes I saw that awesome wedding show (makes me wish for another wedding) I loved watching the Travel channels cruise week last month and the had a special on the Disney cruise....It made me feel like we were back there all over again. The next Disney trip will be hard because this last one was with my parents and shorly after we returned last summer my father passed away.....at least we have those wonderful memories.....

Well, good luck to all who are patiently waiting to "Go Home" I will be here for moral support if needed!

 

[colleen costello]

Kimmy, thanks for the tips. I am going to check the Travel Channel website and fire up my VCR. I have seen the specials but never thought to tape them. My favorite is the Christmas one... So much preparation!

Pet1021, you have my sympathy on the loss of your Dad. We travel with my parents now and the time together is precious -- that is not lost on me. I think your next trip will inevitably include some tears, but some smiles too. My friend Tina just got back from a trip. Her middle son is 6 and they all laughed about the trip they took when we was a newborn. He was a colicky guy and Tina said every time she nursed him, he barfed. They walked all over the MK laughing about "all the spots Baby Jordan threw up on!" Memories made at WDW are really special!