I think the obsessive planning stage has been reached!!

[denise5374]

I called Jimmy Buuffets Margaritaville at Citywalk to make a PS lunch time for 8/28/04. The girl on the phone was like" We don't take PS's until 30 days out"

But you don't understand, this is the last part of the plan that isn't planned and I NEED TO MAKE THE PS!!!!

Somebody talk me down...aarrgghh

I am not an obsessive planner, I am not an obsessive planner...I am not anobsessive planner..(repeat over and over)

 

[tink5697]

LOL, I'm the same way. It's rough!
Where is Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville, BTW?

 

[denise5374]

Its at Universal Studios Citywalk.

We are taking the AUtotrain so we will have some time on the Saturday that we diembark before we need to drive to the trainstation...so being huge Jimmy Buffet fans...we had to go to Margaritaville!!

I really thought the girl on the phone thought I was insane!!

 

[markey]

I really would not stress out on the PS on CIty Walk. We were at Universal the last 3 summers, earlier than you are going, kids were not back at school. We ate everynight, which is fuller and never had a reservation and never had a wait or were turned away. Lunch time City Walk is almost deserted, only people on their way back and forth between the parks. Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville is my favorite, at night they have some good entertainment.

 

[Credit Man]

OK, Denise. Put down the phone and step away. Now, take a deep breath and repeat after me. " This will be the perfect vacation, I have no worries".
Now resume your normal activities.

BTW, when are going south on the Autotrain?

 

[denise5374]

We are heading down on the Thursday before. The 19th of August and staying at the Radisson on the 20th. How about you??

BTW, Thanks for the intervention....

 

[Credit Man]

Exactly the same, Denise. Down on the 19th, Radisson on the 20th.

 

[CheapMom]

Once you enter the obsessive planning stage do you remain obsessed until your cruise? I am begining to think I am crazy as often as my thoughts turn to this vacation that is 9 MONTHS AWAY!!!

 

[denise5374]

YES..I think once you are an obsessive planner it is difficult to not be one!!

Planning planning....planning that is what I do...I read DIS boards, magzines, old Navigators, thr Passporter.....anything I can get my hands on......

 

[mickeyboat]

I obsessed and planned for our cruise a few weeks ago. Then, we got on the ship without our luggage! No over the door shoe holder, no highlighter for the navigators, no beautiful sign I made for the door, NO CLOTHES OR TOILETRIES. And you know what ... we had a great time anyway. Guest Services was amazing and we rolled with the punches.

For some people, planning the trip down to the last detail is what relieves their stress about vacations. For me, I think it added to my stress. When I got home, I felt a great sense of relief, not just from having just been on vacation, but also from not having to stress out about all the details anymore.

Happy planning to all, but hopefully, without stress!

Denae

 

[denise5374]

What happened to all of your stuff??

I thoroughly enjoy the planning part...I don't find it stressfull at all and when I am all done I wil enjoy what goes on. My problem is, is that I don't like to not be prepared so If I know what to expect I feel better. Once I get on vacation, my days aren't planned then I will just go with what feels good because I AM ON VACATION!

 

[mickeyboat]

We were late getting into MCO beacause our flight was delayed. We made it on to the ship at 5PM but our luggage was still on the plane. DCL had it flown to St. Maarten and it was delivered to our stateroom in the AM.

Denae

 

[denise5374]

I am glad everything worked out for you. and that you took it all in stride!!

 

[mickeyboat]

I was actually worried when our luggage got there that I wouldn't know where to put everything since we had been living with only essentials for several days. I was astonished at how much closet, shelf, drawer space there was. I still had empty drawers after I was all unpacked. I was really grateful for the shoe holder. I highly recommend it.

Denae

 

[bassoongirl]

denise5374,

I am in the same "boat" as you!

For our 2/21 Eastern cruise, I read everything I could get my hands on, spent hours on the DIS boards and discussed the cruise in great detail with my friends who had already been on a DCL cruise. My family was worried about me! They were afraid that I would freak out if anything didn't go according to my plans or that there would be no surprises for me on the cruise. They were wrong! Part of the fun of traveling for me is researching our destinations and planning what to do there. But once we got on the cruise, the planning stopped and I just sat back and enjoyed everything. I didn't even use the highlighter I brought on the Navigators!

However, I did have one worry for my life after the cruise - what would I do with all my time? Would I still visit the DIS boards? What would I think about for hours on end? That problem was solved while on the cruise when my DH encouraged me to rebook another cruise. I jumped at that opportunity! We are now booked for a Western cruise next February! Now, I have new ports to research. I have another 11 months to plan and dream. After next February I will have to come up with a new pastime!

Enjoy planning your cruise!

Gayl

 

[***tink386]

What did you do without all your clothes untill they arrived? Were you just a little freaked out? How did your family deal? I'm glad everything worked out! That's what us compulsive planners have nightmares about.

 

[mickeyboat]

We were a little freaked out but after our day of traveling (waiting in the terminal for 4 hours with a 3 and 4 year old, running through the airport to make our connection, leaping off the plane and running through MCO to catch the bus), ew were just happy to make it on board.

Guest Services did our laundry every day, provided us with bath robes and arranged for us to borrow formawear for formal night. They arranged for a luggage delay reimbursement from Delta so we could buy a few things while laundry was being done. They also gave us some toiletries. A very nice lady - Teri Egan - who we met in the gift shop gave us some things for our girls to wear.

We did have our bathing suits in our carry-on bags, our kids' blankets and stuffed animals and our camera. It really wasn't that bad.

Here's what I learned. FLY DOWN THE NIGHT BEFORE! and MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR ESSENTIALS IN YOUR CARRY-ON!

Denae

 

[Holly&Joesmommy]

So glad things worked out so well for you! Some of us would have wasted alot of time stressing about the luggage, I hope I can remeber your story if it ever happens to me.

I too have become obsessed, my mother in-law got me hooked, and now I can't get enough, but she made a good point about our obsession,...
it makes the vacation last longer!!

Our family, me , my husband, daughter and son, and my sister went with my mother inlaw and father inlaw, brother-inlaw,sister-inlaw & her family, husband, and 3 daughters plus two friends on the land & sea last March and we planned like crazy people, but it paid off, we saw everything in the parks we wanted to see, and still had time for the pool. We were so ready for the cruise because we were wore out! Now we are going on the 7 day in Jan and there is not as much to plan so I am a little bummed, but this board keeps me going! Thanks to all of you!

 

[figment52]

Originally posted by denise5374
Its at Universal Studios Citywalk.

We are taking the AUtotrain so we will have some time on the Saturday that we diembark before we need to drive to the trainstation...so being huge Jimmy Buffet fans...we had to go to Margaritaville!!

I really thought the girl on the phone thought I was insane!!

I thought you were talking about the JB in Key West- or is this the wrong weekend for that

 

[denise5374]

No The JB at Citywalk. It is the Saturday that we are getting off the cruise before we have to get the train.

Haven't been to Key West yet...still working on that one(but planning anyway!!! )