bettyann29
<font color=blue>Heres my contribution for today..
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2003
- Messages
- 6,355
Hello to all who follow me along on my TR for my first solo trip
I just returned last night from Florida, however my WDW trip ended on Monday.. there was a problem with my flight.. mechanical problems and it kept getting pushed further and further out.. I ended up being able to switch my flight from Monday to Wednesday and DH drove 2 hours to come get me.. He is at DMIL's visiting until next week and she lives 2 hours from MCO so they drove out and picked me up and I stayed an additional 2 days in Florida.. my job allows me flexibility so I worked from there..
Im hoping to have my pictures downloaded by Saturday and I will then incorporate them into my TR..
I have wanted to do a solo trip for so long, I cant even remember when it first started, but as far back as I can remember Ive wanted it.. My first trip to the land of the mouse was in 2000 and I fell in love
.. that first trip was me, my ex, DD who was 8 at the time and DS who was 6 at the time.. I knew then and there that I WAS going back.. I just didnt know when.. Well me and DH met in 2001 and in 2002 we went on a cruise out of Port Canaveral and I swindled him into a 4 day trip to WDW.. Now DH is NOT a Disney fan like so many of us are.. He actually detested Mickey and the gang for the longest.. and he has a love/hate relationship with Chip and Dale
.. but he loves me and he agreed to go.. so off we went and I had a blast!! I have since been back many many times since.. Ive been several times with just DH.. We had 1 family trip last year with me, DH, my kiddos, his kiddos and our grandbabies.. Ive been with all 3 of my kids and Ive taken my girls on separate trips.. me and DH have also been and taken DD11.. so if you can make up a combination for it, Ive tried it.. the only one I hadnt done was a solo trip.. I wanted to go last year and chickened out.. so earlier this year I started thinking about it again.. my birthday was in March and I asked DH if I could do a solo trip for my birthday present.. He agreed.. Now I do have to say that DH did not want anything to do with Disney when we first started going, but he actually enjoys going now and looks forward to it.. His favorite Disney ride is Rock n Roller Coaster.. you should see his face light up when he talks about it.. 
My DH is the most wonderful, caring, giving man I know.. honestly.. he is! He is the sweetest thing and will do anything for me.. He allows me to do anything I want to do.. He lets me buy anything I want.. If I want it, I get it.. I know, I know.. Im spoiled
Now compared to my first marriage, that is the total opposite..
As I was getting ready for this trip so many things have happened.. A few months back one of mine and DH's friends passed away from cancer at the age of 47.. I realized then and there that life is too short to not do the things that we want to or to follow our dreams.. My DD11 had back surgery early last month.. she had scoliosis and they had to put in steel rods on both sides of her spine and basically screwed her spine to the rods.. I thought about cancelling this trip, but she bounced back so fast, that I knew she would be ok and she is.. Then my grandmother got really sick a few weeks and we thought we were going to lose her.. she is doing much better now and I hope she is able to hang on.. again, I thought about cancelling, but since she was doing better I decided to go ahead and go.. Then last week I got sick.. but thank goodness I was feeling better by the time I was to leave..
As time was drawing closer to leave I realized that I didnt really know why I wanted to do a solo trip so much.. at first I was telling myself it was because I wanted to do what I wanted to when I wanted to and not have to do what anything one else wanted, etc.. I didnt want to have to wait on anyone, etc.. but you know what?? Even when DH goes with me I dont do these things.. He lets me pick what we will ride.. Im the one that does all the planning and decides which parks on which days.. which tours we will do, which places we go eat at.. He is the most agreeable person I know.. so why do I really want to do this?? I still dont know the answer to that.. I really dont.. so I thought I need to go and find out why..
Ok.. Just wanted to get those thoughts out in the beginning before I start my TR..
My trip was to begin Friday, April 17th and I was to return home on Monday, April 20th.. I was to be staying at Pop Century.. Why PC?? Well it has to do with a certain bag.. yes you heard me right.. I was deciding where I was going to stay based on a picture someone posted of a bag in the giftshop at the hotel..
I am a bag lady!! I have tons of bags.. I absolutely love them.. when we went on a cruise last year I came home with 5 new bags
..
My flight was around 7:30 am on Friday so I was up super super early and had already had everything ready to go the night before.. so I got up around 3:30, took a shower, changed and me and DH were out the door.. now I only live about 15 minutes from the airport and DH was dropping me off, so it was all good.. I was already checked in, so I just had to get thru security, find my gate and play the waiting game.. by the time I got there I probably waited about 30 minutes and it was time to go..
I landed in Orlando around 10:30 and promptly headed to ME.. Now I didnt have any paperwork as I never recvd it in the mail prior to going.. I had signed up for ME when I made my hotel reservation.. I gave my flight info, etc.. I was getting nervous prior to leaving as I didnt get the little booklet in the mail, so I even called a few days before I left and the CM told me I was in there and to just go to the ME desk and they would check me in and everything would be ok.. so I went to the ME desk to check in and come to find out they did NOT have me in the system.. it wasnt a problem though.. I only had a carryon bag, so I didnt have to locate my bag or anything and I was soon on my way to the hotel.. by the time I got to the hotel it was probably 11:45 or so.. after about a 15 minute wait to check in I was on my way to my room to drop off my bag.. I was excited that the room was ready.. I was in the 80's section I believe, which was a little bit of a walk but not bad at all..
As soon as I walked in the room, what do you think was on the table but a bounceback offer.. If I rebooked before I checked out I could get 20% off on a value resort or 30% off on a moderate or deluxe resort on certain nights.. although it seemed like it was most nights up thru November.. Do you think I rebooked?? You'll have to hold on and you will soon find out..
Once I dropped off my stuff I was on my way to..........
Animal Kingdom!!
I just returned last night from Florida, however my WDW trip ended on Monday.. there was a problem with my flight.. mechanical problems and it kept getting pushed further and further out.. I ended up being able to switch my flight from Monday to Wednesday and DH drove 2 hours to come get me.. He is at DMIL's visiting until next week and she lives 2 hours from MCO so they drove out and picked me up and I stayed an additional 2 days in Florida.. my job allows me flexibility so I worked from there..
Im hoping to have my pictures downloaded by Saturday and I will then incorporate them into my TR..
I have wanted to do a solo trip for so long, I cant even remember when it first started, but as far back as I can remember Ive wanted it.. My first trip to the land of the mouse was in 2000 and I fell in love



My DH is the most wonderful, caring, giving man I know.. honestly.. he is! He is the sweetest thing and will do anything for me.. He allows me to do anything I want to do.. He lets me buy anything I want.. If I want it, I get it.. I know, I know.. Im spoiled

As I was getting ready for this trip so many things have happened.. A few months back one of mine and DH's friends passed away from cancer at the age of 47.. I realized then and there that life is too short to not do the things that we want to or to follow our dreams.. My DD11 had back surgery early last month.. she had scoliosis and they had to put in steel rods on both sides of her spine and basically screwed her spine to the rods.. I thought about cancelling this trip, but she bounced back so fast, that I knew she would be ok and she is.. Then my grandmother got really sick a few weeks and we thought we were going to lose her.. she is doing much better now and I hope she is able to hang on.. again, I thought about cancelling, but since she was doing better I decided to go ahead and go.. Then last week I got sick.. but thank goodness I was feeling better by the time I was to leave..
As time was drawing closer to leave I realized that I didnt really know why I wanted to do a solo trip so much.. at first I was telling myself it was because I wanted to do what I wanted to when I wanted to and not have to do what anything one else wanted, etc.. I didnt want to have to wait on anyone, etc.. but you know what?? Even when DH goes with me I dont do these things.. He lets me pick what we will ride.. Im the one that does all the planning and decides which parks on which days.. which tours we will do, which places we go eat at.. He is the most agreeable person I know.. so why do I really want to do this?? I still dont know the answer to that.. I really dont.. so I thought I need to go and find out why..
Ok.. Just wanted to get those thoughts out in the beginning before I start my TR..
My trip was to begin Friday, April 17th and I was to return home on Monday, April 20th.. I was to be staying at Pop Century.. Why PC?? Well it has to do with a certain bag.. yes you heard me right.. I was deciding where I was going to stay based on a picture someone posted of a bag in the giftshop at the hotel..


My flight was around 7:30 am on Friday so I was up super super early and had already had everything ready to go the night before.. so I got up around 3:30, took a shower, changed and me and DH were out the door.. now I only live about 15 minutes from the airport and DH was dropping me off, so it was all good.. I was already checked in, so I just had to get thru security, find my gate and play the waiting game.. by the time I got there I probably waited about 30 minutes and it was time to go..

I landed in Orlando around 10:30 and promptly headed to ME.. Now I didnt have any paperwork as I never recvd it in the mail prior to going.. I had signed up for ME when I made my hotel reservation.. I gave my flight info, etc.. I was getting nervous prior to leaving as I didnt get the little booklet in the mail, so I even called a few days before I left and the CM told me I was in there and to just go to the ME desk and they would check me in and everything would be ok.. so I went to the ME desk to check in and come to find out they did NOT have me in the system.. it wasnt a problem though.. I only had a carryon bag, so I didnt have to locate my bag or anything and I was soon on my way to the hotel.. by the time I got to the hotel it was probably 11:45 or so.. after about a 15 minute wait to check in I was on my way to my room to drop off my bag.. I was excited that the room was ready.. I was in the 80's section I believe, which was a little bit of a walk but not bad at all..
As soon as I walked in the room, what do you think was on the table but a bounceback offer.. If I rebooked before I checked out I could get 20% off on a value resort or 30% off on a moderate or deluxe resort on certain nights.. although it seemed like it was most nights up thru November.. Do you think I rebooked?? You'll have to hold on and you will soon find out..

Once I dropped off my stuff I was on my way to..........
Animal Kingdom!!