PrincePluto
Disneyholic
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2008
- Messages
- 454
Hi again! For those of you who read my previous trip reports, as well as those who haven't (the links are below in my signature) I'm Jeff, a single forty-something IT professional from New Jersey.
I have been a fan of the Mouse for many years now. I first went to Walt Disney World with my family as a kid in February 1978. We drove down in our station wagon pulling a pop-up camper (my parents, we three boys, and my grandmother, for over 1000 miles!) My parents managed to keep the secret that we were going to Florida (not to mention Disney), for as far as Virginia - first they said, "we're going down to visit your aunt and uncle in Delaware, and ride snowmobiles". Then, when we got to Delaware and were still on Route 95, they said, "Actually, let's continue on to your aunt and uncle in Fairfax, Virginia, and we can tour Washington, DC." Then, we kept driving, and we were pestering them about where we were going, and my grandma said to my parents, "Will you just *tell* them, already??"
Needless to say, that was a great vacation; we stayed at Fort Wilderness on-site, and enjoyed the total immersion experience.
However, I didn't truly swallow the Disney Kool-Aid until 1992, when I decided to go down to Disney World as a reward to myself for graduating college. I was accompanied by my younger brother - he paid for his plane ticket, I covered all the other expenses. We rented a convertible, stayed offsite, hooked up with some fraternity mates of his who were working the DCP, and just generally had a great time. I went to Walt Disney World twice more in the Nineties, in 1997 and 1999.
Then, I did not get a chance to get back to Walt Disney World until 2008, when my parents decided to treat my older brother's family (3 kids) to a trip to Walt Disney World. We stayed at two units in a nearby timeshare, and we had fun! My parents went back to Florida on two-week trips in the winters of 2009 and 2010, and the second week was at a timeshare in Kissimmee, so I flew down for the second week, and I did my own thing (theme parks) while they were visiting with friends who had retired to Florida.
In 2013, it was my parents' 50th wedding anniversary, so they paid for my two brothers' families, and myself, to accompany them to Walt Disney World for a week in July. We had a blast, and I thought that was it for me for a while, but in November of that year I realized that I had a week of vacation to use up, so I figured, what better place to go than Walt Disney World? You can read about that trip below.
Which brings us to the present... I got an e-mail from my boss reminding me that if I did not use my remaining week of vacation by the end of the year, I would lose it. First, I thought I would spend a quiet week relaxing at home, then I was talking with my father and he suggested, "Do you want to go to a timeshare somewhere? You could use my points." He owns three weeks, so he has plenty of points. First thing, I thought of Disney. But first I had to put in for a week off. I knew which week I wanted, and it was the second week of December, the same week I went last year. The only thing was, my boss was off for a week, so after I put in the request, I had to bite my nails for 7 days waiting for his decision. After only a minimum of begging, he gave his approval.
Within 2 hours of getting home from work yesterday, I had the resort, flight, park ticket, Memory Maker, and a Candlelight Processional dining package (Biergarten) arranged.
When: December 6-13
Where: Vacation Village at Parkway (on I-192 just east of I-4)
Who: Me, solo
Why: Why not???
I have been a fan of the Mouse for many years now. I first went to Walt Disney World with my family as a kid in February 1978. We drove down in our station wagon pulling a pop-up camper (my parents, we three boys, and my grandmother, for over 1000 miles!) My parents managed to keep the secret that we were going to Florida (not to mention Disney), for as far as Virginia - first they said, "we're going down to visit your aunt and uncle in Delaware, and ride snowmobiles". Then, when we got to Delaware and were still on Route 95, they said, "Actually, let's continue on to your aunt and uncle in Fairfax, Virginia, and we can tour Washington, DC." Then, we kept driving, and we were pestering them about where we were going, and my grandma said to my parents, "Will you just *tell* them, already??"
Needless to say, that was a great vacation; we stayed at Fort Wilderness on-site, and enjoyed the total immersion experience.
However, I didn't truly swallow the Disney Kool-Aid until 1992, when I decided to go down to Disney World as a reward to myself for graduating college. I was accompanied by my younger brother - he paid for his plane ticket, I covered all the other expenses. We rented a convertible, stayed offsite, hooked up with some fraternity mates of his who were working the DCP, and just generally had a great time. I went to Walt Disney World twice more in the Nineties, in 1997 and 1999.
Then, I did not get a chance to get back to Walt Disney World until 2008, when my parents decided to treat my older brother's family (3 kids) to a trip to Walt Disney World. We stayed at two units in a nearby timeshare, and we had fun! My parents went back to Florida on two-week trips in the winters of 2009 and 2010, and the second week was at a timeshare in Kissimmee, so I flew down for the second week, and I did my own thing (theme parks) while they were visiting with friends who had retired to Florida.
In 2013, it was my parents' 50th wedding anniversary, so they paid for my two brothers' families, and myself, to accompany them to Walt Disney World for a week in July. We had a blast, and I thought that was it for me for a while, but in November of that year I realized that I had a week of vacation to use up, so I figured, what better place to go than Walt Disney World? You can read about that trip below.
Which brings us to the present... I got an e-mail from my boss reminding me that if I did not use my remaining week of vacation by the end of the year, I would lose it. First, I thought I would spend a quiet week relaxing at home, then I was talking with my father and he suggested, "Do you want to go to a timeshare somewhere? You could use my points." He owns three weeks, so he has plenty of points. First thing, I thought of Disney. But first I had to put in for a week off. I knew which week I wanted, and it was the second week of December, the same week I went last year. The only thing was, my boss was off for a week, so after I put in the request, I had to bite my nails for 7 days waiting for his decision. After only a minimum of begging, he gave his approval.
Within 2 hours of getting home from work yesterday, I had the resort, flight, park ticket, Memory Maker, and a Candlelight Processional dining package (Biergarten) arranged.
When: December 6-13
Where: Vacation Village at Parkway (on I-192 just east of I-4)
Who: Me, solo
Why: Why not???
to make way for a "Frozen" ride that won't open for another year or longer.
I have my plane, accomodations, car rental, park tickets and FP+, and limo service arrangements completed. I have received my spare camera batteries in the mail, made sure they're fully charged, and that they fit into my camera! (It would be a disaster if I got to Florida, and discovered that they were no good, or worse, were incompatible!) I also located my pin lanyard with all my trading pins on it. I am gradually starting to pack my carry-on over the next couple of days (the luggage, with the clothing, etc., can wait a little longer...)
