PTR - Taking the Plunge: A First-Timer Solo Trip Primer!

[donaldsgal]

Welcome!

I'm not one of those DISers who attracts a massive following on the DIS, but I've been around for several years and enjoy PTRs and TRs when I find a writer whose storytelling, photos, and experiences capture my interest. I think I my have an occasion in the works that is worthy of talking about myself for a few bytes of space on the World Wide Web , so I'm taking the plunge with a PTR! I hope this little PTR interests a few of my fellow Disney-lovers in the months ahead. I think we'd all agree that the best thing about a PTR is living vicariously through a fellow Disney-lover's planning, followed by seeing how those plans come to life in the actual TR! That said, I'm an endless planner, love to get feedback and analyze my plans, and then tell everyone about what fun I had. SOOOOOOO, I hope that my PTR is interesting and gives you a taste of Disney magic along the way.

Because I like options, I'll give you options, too, as you read through this. If you like to eavesdrop on what your fellow DISers have to say, you can do so but if you like to just get to the nitty-gritty of a PTR and read what I have to say, I'll keep a table of contents going in this first post.

First Things First - The Introduction (this post)
The Birth of a PTR - Background on how this trip came to be
Food, glorious food!
Single, with no kids, and 3 months off in the summer?!? Why does SHE need to relax?
To the left - to the left? Take the marked path through the park to the left?

Now, let's start with some introductions!

I'm Jenny. Hi! And I really AM "wishing you a magical day!"

I'm 31 and single. I have the BEST job in the world - I'm a counselor at a Christian college in southern Ohio. It is my absolute DREAM job. I see students for a variety of issues - depression, anxiety, relationship problems, addiction, eating disorders, treating abuse, etc. Anyway, people often tell me that they think this would be a heavy job. By no means is it easy, but I find it to be incredibly rewarding to be a part of people's journeys as they heal and find freedom from the pain they have, sometimes having felt the weight of trauma or fear or sadness for years. It's the BEST job I could have!!! I also get all the breaks students do, which is nothing to sneeze at, either. I get 3 weeks off at Christmas, spring break in early March, fall break, Easter break, and the "pièce de résistance" - 3 months off in the summers!

On the side, I work for an online company that contracts with colleges and universities and offers tutoring for essays and papers. I was an English major in undergrad, so I love to write and have always been naturally good with grammar (though saying that will surely "jinx" me with embarrassing grammatical mistakes in this PTR! ). Anyway, this side job brings in extra money and pays well, so that adds 10-15 hours a week to my work life and a nice chunk of change for my Disney savings!

I should also introduce you to a few people you can expect to hear a lot about in this PTR.

First, there's my older sister, Melissa.

She's 38 and is a research scientist. She's brilliant, practical, easy-going, easy-to-please, and the most generous person I know (except maybe our mother). We're pretty different from each other; I'm the emotional, artistic, extroverted, feelings-oriented, night-owl of the two! I've also recently come to terms with my addiction to the exclamation mark! The prize goes to the reader who can keep track of my (over)use of this form of punctuation. See, even right there... had to stop my self from typing "shift + 1". There too! It's an epidemic, but I guess it means I'm enthusiastic, right? Right! Anyway, we get along really well, and she'll be showing up in this PTR and TR (more on that later, though). I actually lived with her for 5 years during grad school before taking my current job and moving two hours south to the Dayton, Ohio area. She's super awesome wonderful and an incredible big sister!

You'll also be hearing about my niece, Hannah.

She's fantastic, too, and clearly a fashionista extraordinaire, as this styling choice demonstrates! She's 5 and a 1/2. She's loving, kind-hearted, creative, obedient, and a big Disney fan. I know there are more things I could say, but that would take a whole post in and of itself! She joined our family through the blessing of adoption. My sister is single and adopted Hannah from Guatemala. Hannah came home after a two year adoption process that started in 2004. When we traveled to get her and bring her home, she was just 4.5 months old - a real rarity in the world of international adoption! That's been great, though, because we got that much more time being a forever family together! She's the coolest kid ever, and I'm so blessed to have her in my life! She's been going to Disney since she was 13 months old and is a real Disney lover in and of herself! She's a big girlie girl and, as the only grandchild, is the pride and joy of her mommy's, mine, and our parents' hearts! Rest assured you'll see several pictures of her in this TR; I just can't help myself!

[Sidenote: If exclamation-mark counting was a drinking game, I think some of you would be drunk already. Did you see how many exclamation marks I used in the previous paragraph alone?!? I must be REEEEEEEALLY pumped to be writing this PTR and talking about some of my favorite people! ]

Now that those introductions have been made, I'll need to explain how this PTR was born. However, I'm a lover of words, and I tend to show my affection by using a lot of them! With this fact in mind, I'll try to keep these posts manageable since I assume most of you have some bizarre things to take care of, like feeding spouses and children and working, that take away from DISboards time! Thus, the details of this PTR will be next!

Thanks for reading along so far!

 

[donaldsgal]

First, this post will not contain any of those awkward silences or stomach-turning images that talks about other births produce, so take a deep breath and relax! And now that that horribly bad joke is out of the way, let's move on....

I want to tell how you I came to be as a 31-year-old Disney lover.

My first trip to Disney was March 8-15, 2001. The reason I remember the dates so specifically is because it was the day after I turned 21 on March 7. The trip came to be because Melissa was about to defend her dissertation for her thesis, and I was turning 21. She suggested one day that we celebrate my 21st birthday, my college graduation (a year early ) and her completion of her Ph.D. with a trip to Disney. We planned for several months, reading Birnbaum's Guide to WDW, and our dad took us to the airport for the flight. Those were the days where you could sit at the gate with travelers, even if you weren't on the flight. Just a short 6 months later, that all changed forever... It's strange to think about how different life was pre-911, but this is a happy PTR, so let's move on!

Anyway, on this first trip, we spent 3 days at Disney at the Beach Club and then did a 4-night cruise to the Bahamas on the Wonder. It was amazing. That trip was a first in many ways: it was our first time taking a vacation without our parents, it was our first trip to Disney, it was our first cruise, and it elevated our relationship from one of loving sisters to sisters AND friends!

Since that first trip, Melissa and I have taken 12 Disney trips together, and she's become a DVC owner at SSR and AKL. She's got a lead on me by one, but I'll get into that more shortly. We have a trip planned for this October for 4 days to enjoy MNSSHP (and, if you're good little readers, I may even grace with a mini-TR in this PTR about that trip! ). In May of next year, we have a cruise booked - that'll be the focus of this PTR.

The year 2008 was the first where we took 2 trips in the same year. In 2009, we took our first two week trip to WDW. In 2010, we went three times - my sister surprised me with a trip to Disney for my 30th birthday (remember how I said she was generous and super awesome wonderful???), we went to see the Summer Nightastic events for a long weekend in June with Hannah, and we went from December 30, 2010-January 9,2011 with our mom, an aunt, her daughter, Karen (who is like another sister to us), and Karen's husband and three kids. There were 10 of us total, and we had a Grand Villa at Jambo House at AKL. Thanks to all these Disney trips, we'd taken Karen and her family with us a few times and brought them over to the dark side of DVC ownership, so we pooled points and booked the holiday trip. Quick word for those accommodations at AKL - AMAZING!!!!!!!! I have a blog, where I detailed the mega holiday trip, and this post has pictures of the Grand Villa. if you care to see it.

Anyway, back on topic. Melissa, Hannah, and I have a cruise planned for May 19-26, 2012. We've taken two cruises before (the one I mentioned in 2001 and another one we took in 2005). Hannah joined our family in 2006, so there have been no cruises since because, well, Melissa had some anxiety about Hannah falling overboard. Though our mom loves coming to Disney with us when she can financially - who says parents train their kids to love Disney? Sometimes, it works the other way around! - the cruise is too pricey, and she's not sure she'd like being on a ship. I think she's got visions of Titanic flashing in her head! Oh, and my dad doesn't like to travel, so you won't hear much about him in this PTR. He does exist, though; he's just a homebody!

I'm digressing... what's the exclamation point count? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? Okay, focus Jenny!

For this trip in May of next year, Melissa suggested we go to the parks for a couple of days before the cruise. Never one to turn down days at Disney, I only had to have my arm twisted a smidge before agreeing wholeheartedly! The pre-cruise park days meant we would arrive the evening of Wednesday, May 16th to enjoy a couple of days at the parks before heading to Port Canaveral on Saturday the 19th.

Well, I suggested recently that we add yet another day to the trip, which would mean we would arrive on Tuesday night. After a lengthy "discussion" - hey, we are sisters! - my sister said she just doesn't want to take my niece out of school for another day. Education, smeducation, I say. JUST KIDDING!!! However, she offered an unexpected suggestion: she told me I should go early and do some days on my own!

Now, remember when I said earlier that we've taken 12 trips together, but she's got one on me? Well, in 2008, she had had a string of a few bad months at work, she was stressed out, I think Hannah had driven her crazy a few days in a row, and, well, she just needed a break. I persuaded her to pamper herself with a trip to Disney, so the following weekend, she flew to Orlando, stayed at the Dolphin for two nights, and did Disney on her own! She texted me frequently about what she was up to, and I was so excited for her to have some time to refresh and enjoy the parks on her own! We have traveled together before and since, so the topic of a solo trip never really came up again.

Additionally, I've never been particularly interested in a solo trip. Melissa is the DVC owner, but I'm far and away the primary planner for our trips. I make the DVC reservations, ADRs, pick the parks we tour on which days, read the latest Disney news, get Disney newsletters, take the pictures, and plan our touring approach to for the parks. I ask her opinion, analyze our plans to death, but she is never picky and pretty much says she knows we'll have a good time, encouraging me to do my planning thing.

We used to be commando tourers, but things changed in 2007 when we brought Karen and her family. By then, we had learned the value of the afternoon break. Now, we go for rope drop, tour until around 1ish, head back to nap/swim/rest, get dinner (we are foodies and like the variety Disney offers; even though many think it's gone downhill, we love it), and return for evening shows/rides/fireworks. I even planned the itinerary for her solo trip in 2008!

There I go rambling again! I promise this relates, though...

Melissa's suggestion to go solo caught me off-guard. I'm a people-person, but I have my insecurities like everyone else, so I wasn't sure I could do a solo trip, even if I wanted to (and I wasn't sure I wanted to). We talked about it that night, and within a few hours, my Interest-ometer had gone from "minimal" to "mandatory" in terms of a solo trip! Melissa suggested I use her DVC points (again with the crazy generosity) to stay the extra days.

So, DISers, the official itinerary of this trip now unfolds like this:
* Sunday, May 13-Wednesday, May 16 - SOLO! Oh yeah!
(Melissa and Hannah will be flying in after school/work, so they will probably arrive around 8 PMish.)

* Thursday, May 17 and Friday, May 18 - Jenny, Melissa, and Hannah see Mk and DHS

* Saturday, May 19-Saturday, May 26 - we sail on the Disney Fantasy to the Eastern Caribbean! Woot!

And with that, friends, let me wrap up this installment. I have one more post coming right up about where I'm staying and how I want this solo trip to go.

See ya real soon!

 

[ZFamily5]

I'm in!

 

[donaldsgal]

I'm in!

So far it's just us, but I'm sure we'll keep each other entertained! Welcome, new friend!

 

[donaldsgal]

When last I left you, I pledged to inundate you with my obsessive overthinking about where to stay. Well, I didn't exactly say it like that, but that's what you're going to get!

I think it's safe to say that I'm full-on excited for this solo trip! It seems like a good way to take a solo trip; it will be four days on my own, but I'll be joined late Wednesday evening by Melissa and Hannah. This means I won't be doing the whole trip on my own in case it's boring or lonely - important "insurance" of sorts for a first solo trip. Never mind that I don't the solo trip WILL be boring or lonely, but I like that it's falling together this way anyway.

I don't plan on going commando, but I don't know that I'll be doing the midday breaks, either. I guess this will be a hybrid trip of sorts, then. Would that be called bremmando? commeaks? Either way, I want to really soak up the parks, and being alone, that has the potential to look different, in a good way, than it has in past trips.

For me, there are three key elements for park-soaking-upping. I'll deal with each one in a separate post, hoping that the frequency of my posting lures unsuspecting readers my way!

First, there will be food, glorious food! (If you've seen the movie Ice Age, please sing that phrase the way the vultures do as Manny, Sid, and Diego make their way toward safety.) I'm planning on making some ADRs!!!

I've never eaten by myself at a sit-down restaurant before. I've eaten solo at Wendy's and Panera Bread, but never in a place where a server/servress will be tending to my needs. But you know what? I think I can do it! I'm taking some advice I've read about traveling solo and picking restaurants that have things to focus on so I feel less like I'm sticking out like a sore thumb. However, I'm up for suggestions or feedback on my choices, so please throw 'em my way when the time comes! Dining is a big part of Disney for me/us, so if I'm going to spoil myself with a solo trip, it's got to include food!

I think I'm going to make the following ADRs:

* Lunch at Chefs de France for lunch - I will request a window seat in order to watch people mill about in World Showcase.

* Dinner at Coral Reef - I can focus on the fish, and I'll probably ask for a seat up top to avoid feeling the weight of stares on me if I'm down lower.

* Dinner at Tutto Italia - I've never eaten here and want to try it - will it be solo friendly, I wonder?

* Dinner at Teppan Edo - This is a must-do each trip for us, but it also allows me to focus on the show if I feel weird about being on my own. Then again, I'm a little nervous being on my own when I'm sharing a table with strangers, so I'm still thinking this one over.

* Dinner at Jiko - I really enjoy this place, and I can sit at the bar or the seats in front of where the sous chef works. Maybe that's the same place. I don't think so, though. Anyway, I love the barbeque chicken flatbread (the apple-jicama slaw on top is DE-licious), and I have a couple of interesting options for my entree.

Other contenders for ADRs are San Angel Inn or Citrocos. I'm already doing 5 ADRs, or so it looks for now, so I think the most I'll do is add another lunch ADR. I'm amused that I'm even considering San Angel Inn because I don't really care for Mexican food, so it's strange, even to me, that I'd consider making an ADR here when I have the option to not have to appease anyone else's taste buds! Like I said earlier, though, I am looking for places that would offer a show of sorts or something to watch/focus on while I dine. I don't see myself bringing a book with me to eat, so that means I'll want something to "do" while I eat, even if the doing is just people-watching. Thus, sitting at a table in a dimly-lit restaurant, watching boats of my fellow park guests take in El Rio del Tiempo slowly drift by, sounds like it offers the chance to blend in with the surroundings AND gives me something to watch. Plus, it sounds really relaxing, and you'll recall that relaxation is the name of the game for the solo portion of this trip!

Citricos, on the other hand, is a restaurant I've enjoyed twice in the past and have really liked both times. It's a less busy signature restaurant, and the chairs, as silly as it sounds, are very comfortable. I feel like I'm sitting at someone's lake house, eating a fine meal over a table on the lanai (or some other lovely but not stuffy example if that one doesn't suit you). The only problem is, I've already got one 1.5-2 hour meal planned, and I'm really hesitant to add another. While part of the allure of Disney for me is the food, I don't want to spend more than one night doing a longer dinner. So, if I pick Citricos, I would probably bump Jiko. Citricos is also more conveniently located for me, if in fact I do opt to stay at VWL the entire time (more on that later). Jiko will take some maneuvering to get to without a car on property, but I slightly prefer my meal options there. Plus, I don't know if there's a bar area to sit at at Citricos or if I'd be given a table. I'm not opposed to a table at all, so long as it's not in the middle of the room where I have great potential to feel like I'm sticking out.

I'm so indecisive, but I'd love to hear people's opinions on this! Based on your experience, are these solo-friendly restaurants?

Next up - park touring thoughts.

 

[ZFamily5]

Restaraunt choices look great! We've only eaten at Les Chefs de France, but we enjoyed it!

 

[JohnPA]

Jenny:

Just letting you know I made it over here from our cruise meet up page. Never did the trip solo, but have done parks solo and I really like it. Before they took them away, I would sit in a rocking chair in front of Liberty Tavern and people watch while eating Dole Whips, Mickey Bars and that Orange/Vanilla treat from Sunshine Terrace. Sat there for 3 hours one day!

I'm right with you on the exclamation points and using parenthesis for asides (don't know why I do that so much!). <--- see how I did that, put both together! (that should have been an aside too, no?)

Anyway, looking forward to hearing more, and then a post-solo TR onboard.

 

[DizDaddy]

Jenny!
Hi!
I intend to use exclamation points all the way thru this reply!
In fact, I have some to spare that you can use! There they are!:

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Susan and I have been married for 22 years, and our 23rd anniversary will be the day after our cruise ends, May 27th! We have done a Disney vacation every other year for the length of our marriage, save for one 'out-of-our-minds' deviation to Universal! Nothing against the U-verse, but it should be in ADDITION to a WDW visit, not in lieu of one! (Notice the exclamation marks continue....)

This will be our second Disney cruise and third one overall! We sailed on the Magic in 2/2010, and on the Norwegian Epic in 9/2010! We have decided cruising is the way to vacation!

I look forward to reading your updates, and maybe sharing a hint or two along the way! Subscribing now!

 

[spacecanada]

I'm here too!! Thank you for letting us in on the PTR. We will be at WDW the same days as you! Oh, we're on the crusie too, but you already knew that.

Your PTR looks wonderful! I love it! And all the exclamation points!

I cannot offer you much advice on the food stuff, but reading your post reminded me that I need to contact WDW Special Diets for our own food stuffs - I have life-threatening food allergies (not fun) and we're both vegan. We'll see what they recommend for us - it varies from trip to trip. Thanks for that invisible reminder!

If you start feeling lonely or whatever feel free to givs us a call and we can meet up and spend time together! We're not sure what our plans are as of yet but we can work something out.

Any-who, I look forward to the rest of your PTR!

 

[donaldsgal]

Restaraunt choices look great! We've only eaten at Les Chefs de France, but we enjoyed it!

Thanks for the review of Chefs de France. The more feedback I get, the better - I'm wired to overanalyze, but how can I overanalyze if I only have my own thoughts to obsess over? Les Chefs de France is one restaurant I've thought about before on family trips, so it's a new concept to think about eating there solo. Good to know it's, well, good!

Jenny:

Just letting you know I made it over here from our cruise meet up page. Never did the trip solo, but have done parks solo and I really like it. Before they took them away, I would sit in a rocking chair in front of Liberty Tavern and people watch while eating Dole Whips, Mickey Bars and that Orange/Vanilla treat from Sunshine Terrace. Sat there for 3 hours one day!

I'm right with you on the exclamation points and using parenthesis for asides (don't know why I do that so much!). <--- see how I did that, put both together! (that should have been an aside too, no?)

Anyway, looking forward to hearing more, and then a post-solo TR onboard.

John, thanks for coming over! I think the idea of those rocking chairs with a Dole Whip or a Mickey treat sounds wonderful! I'm not sure I could hold out for three hours - you have my respect, sir! - but I could definitely get my rock on for at least 30 minutes or so. Your idea sounds similar to the tone of how I want my park touring to go - more on that in a bit! Too bad they took those rockers away, but I'm sure I'll find a suitable replacement somewhere. Oh, and I LOVE your exclamation fascination!

Jenny!
Hi!
I intend to use exclamation points all the way thru this reply!
In fact, I have some to spare that you can use! There they are!:

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Susan and I have been married for 22 years, and our 23rd anniversary will be the day after our cruise ends, May 27th! We have done a Disney vacation every other year for the length of our marriage, save for one 'out-of-our-minds' deviation to Universal! Nothing against the U-verse, but it should be in ADDITION to a WDW visit, not in lieu of one! (Notice the exclamation marks continue....)

This will be our second Disney cruise and third one overall! We sailed on the Magic in 2/2010, and on the Norwegian Epic in 9/2010! We have decided cruising is the way to vacation!

I look forward to reading your updates, and maybe sharing a hint or two along the way! Subscribing now!

Okay, that seriously cracked me up. I appreciate that you refilled my exclamation mark storehouse; I was running low! Sounds like you and Susan are wise people - Disney vacations for 12-13 years sounds great to me! Of course, everyone makes mistakes sometimes, so I'll forgive your trip to Universal. Just don't let it happen again...

I'm here too!! Thank you for letting us in on the PTR. We will be at WDW the same days as you! Oh, we're on the crusie too, but you already knew that.

Your PTR looks wonderful! I love it! And all the exclamation points!

I cannot offer you much advice on the food stuff, but reading your post reminded me that I need to contact WDW Special Diets for our own food stuffs - I have life-threatening food allergies (not fun) and we're both vegan. We'll see what they recommend for us - it varies from trip to trip. Thanks for that invisible reminder!

If you start feeling lonely or whatever feel free to givs us a call and we can meet up and spend time together! We're not sure what our plans are as of yet but we can work something out.

Any-who, I look forward to the rest of your PTR!

Jennifer - thanks for coming by! First, I know I owe you a PM, so I hope to get that done tomorrow. I realized I might overlap with you and Kyle when I decided to add on those days; I will definitely hit you up if I'm hankering for some fellow DISer or (insert name of our to-be-determined group name) time! For people with needs like yours, I am SO glad Disney offers special services for food allergies. I imagine there's nothing worse than trying to have a wonderful, hard-earned vacation and having a brush with a serious illness, care of food allergies! I have a dear friend who has a husband and two children with food allergies that led to a restricted diet of 6 - SIX - foods at one point. Yuck.

I'm so pumped to have more readers, though props continue to go to ZFamily5 for jumping onboard first! Of course, that makes this PTR sound like a not-to-be-missed experience, which I'm not so confident is an apt-description. I'll try to keep it fun, though!

And with this last series of exclamation marks, I'm off to post another update!!!!!!

 

[donaldsgal]

Okay, I lied. Next up isn't park-touring plans. I decided that, before I continue to explain the factors necessary for this trip to accomplish its intention - facilitating Disney relaxation!!! (can't forget the exclamation marks, right?) - I want to explain why I'm so focused on kicking back.

As this summer continues, the hunger for less stress and fewer complications to daily life has gotten stronger, even if I have to wait 10 months for that to happen. Shhhh... don't tell me that I'm spoiled that I have a 4-night trip with Melissa and Hannah planned for this October.

On May 25, a pretty strong hail storm hit the town where I live. It was the leftovers from the storm system that decimated Joplin, Missouri. To make a long story short, the hail damage was severe enough that I need a new roof, new siding, new fascia, new gutters and downspouts, a new shed, some touch-up paint, and, last but not least, new window screens on the backside of my house. Those are the most important home repairs, right? Hey, if they'll pay for 'em, I'll take 'em! To look at the house, you'd not see the damage, but the inspector and the contractor assured me it was there. My neighborhood has been a veritable construction zone for the past month or so as nearly everyone gets a new roof, or siding, or sheds...

Anyway, doing all this as a single woman gets overwhelming at times! I'd like to say I'm graceful under pressure or when life throws a curve ball my way, but I tend to react with anxiety. I've only been a homeowner for 21 months, so this is all brand new territory for this gal! It's been stressful, but God is faithful and I'm trying to lean on Him to help me let tomorrow worry about itself. I get nervous about talking to insurance companies, working with contractors, scheduling work to be completed... the whole works. Sometimes, I think the idea of letting good ole Mom and Dad handle my affairs until I'm old and gray sounds lovely!

Alas, the bank approved the mortgage in MY name, so I need to put on my big girl britches and keep a level head. Of course, though, to keep things interesting, another complication arose. As I've been sorting through the insurance saga, my heat pump quit working. With heat indexes of 100 degrees, it was a smidge toasty in my house (and the ripped screens made it a fun adventure to open windows and try to get a breeze without also hosting a horde of local insects. Melissa suggested I use duct tape on the holes, and voila! I can enjoy the evening breeze again. I TOLD you she was brilliant and practical! ). I retreated to Melissa's home, though, because it just got too uncomfortable without A/C. How did I survive until age 17, when my parents built a house that had central air?

The current, nonworking unit is 16 years old, so it did have a good life - boy, I'm sure glad the previous owners got to enjoy it! The unit had a mechanical failure that would cost about half the amount of a replacement unit, so it makes the most sense to get it replaced. For better or for worse, I can't add this issue to my insurance claim since it was mechanical failure unrelated to the storm damage. On the bright side, I am supposed to get money for some minor damage to the current unit from the hail, so at least I can allocate that elsewhere as needed. I'm still waiting to hear back on what my insurance will cover, and I'm hopeful it will be enough to take care of the needed repairs. Truth be told, I'm praying it will be more than needed so as to allow me to pay for the heat pump outright, which is a several-thousand-dollar expense in and of itself.

In the event that the insurance won't cover the heat pump, though, I've recognized that I'll need to pick up extra hours at my second job as an online writing tutor. That will keep me pretty busy until May of 2012. My day job as a counselor is incredibly rewarding, but it can also be heavy some days. Then, to come home and read essays and review them for 15 more hours a week won't be the most fun I've ever had. I feel like a ginormous drama queen by dreading working 55 hours/week because I know a lot of people have it much rougher, and I know I'm SUPER blessed to even have a job, let alone two, let alone two that take me to Disney!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (That particular point deserves a long line of exclamation marks.) Thus, if I want to take this trip - and I really do! - while keeping payment for it far from credit cards (which I try hard not to use), sacrifices must be made!

Of course, one might question the wisdom of adding 4 days to my trip to The Expensive-ist Place on Earth (did I say that? ), but, then, that one would likely not be a DISer, right? My expendable income generally funds my trips to Disney. Some people scrapbook, others shop... I Disney! So, the extra time spent working might be more palatable by remembering I'm making small payments to myself for Les Chefs de France, or a new Disney t-shirt, or my annual pass... Yes, that has a markedly motivational undertone!

So, THAT'S why I'm craving Disney relaxation. Under other circumstances, I might be less interested in the solo trip, but with everything going on this summer financially and home ownership-wise, the more time at Disney, the better!

With that, let me leave you with a relaxing picture that will hopefully reflect the tone of this solo trip:

Is there anything more relaxing than standing in an empty hub and looking up at the Castle, Walt, and Mickey, all set against a lovely blue sky? This was from our 2009 trip to Disney, and we were lucky enough to enter the park before it opened to take Hannah for a makeover at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Gaze at this picture and say it with me: Ahhhhhhh...

 

[ZFamily5]

Wow! That hail storm did quite a bit of damage in your area! We had a flash storm on Monday and there weren't problems at our house, but our close friends who live across town got hit hard! They had 3 large trees down, which knocked over part of their fence!

 

[spacecanada]

Oh dear, that storm sounds terrible! I am happy you are safe! And you certainly deserve that holiday!!

We're looking forward to this holiday for similar reasons, actually: anxiety and a need to de-stress. It started off as just another family holiday spontaneously booked whilst on our previous DCL cruise (as a dummy date that we decided to keep). It's now turning into something we can look forward to after a rough patch as well. We've had a stormy May and June as well, both environmentally and personally/mentally. Nothing quite like your story though, so we are counting our blessings.

You will get through this rough patch! Dealing with contractors and construction workers is my day-to-day job, and I can know they can be intimidating, slimy, and rude at times, but most of them are good-hearted people. I hope your insurance company will be fair and give you the resources you need to return your house to normal. Keep your chin up; this trip will be a week away before you know it.

PS - Beautiful photo of Walt and the castle!

Oh yes, allergies... they can be quite frigtening at times. Disney parks are some of the most accommodating places for allergies, so as fearful I am about eating food others prepare, I can breathe a little easier whist at Disney. Although, they did serve me something they shouldn't have once (and I reacted; long story involving some fault of my own), so I cannot let my guard down entirely.

 

[nonni]

Hi Jenny,

Followed your link from the cruise meet thread. I am so envious of your castle photo. Some day I will get one. I'll probably have to get an early breakfast since we don't have any princesses.

FYI As someone who can relate to the Count on Sesame Street I am constantly telling myself "DO NOT go back and count all of those exclamation marks!" So far it's working.

We are going to spend a couple of days at the parks after the cruise. We usually go in the fall, less crowded and a little cooler, but since we will already be there we might as well go for it. We are going back fall of 2012 with the kids and grandkids. Would love to take them on a cruise someday.

Looking forward to reading more. I'm getting excited for you!!!

Debbie

 

[donaldsgal]

Wow! That hail storm did quite a bit of damage in your area! We had a flash storm on Monday and there weren't problems at our house, but our close friends who live across town got hit hard! They had 3 large trees down, which knocked over part of their fence!

I'm glad your friend is okay! That would be scary if you had trees strewn about in your yard!

Oh dear, that storm sounds terrible! I am happy you are safe! And you certainly deserve that holiday!!

We're looking forward to this holiday for similar reasons, actually: anxiety and a need to de-stress. It started off as just another family holiday spontaneously booked whilst on our previous DCL cruise (as a dummy date that we decided to keep). It's now turning into something we can look forward to after a rough patch as well. We've had a stormy May and June as well, both environmentally and personally/mentally. Nothing quite like your story though, so we are counting our blessings.

You will get through this rough patch! Dealing with contractors and construction workers is my day-to-day job, and I can know they can be intimidating, slimy, and rude at times, but most of them are good-hearted people. I hope your insurance company will be fair and give you the resources you need to return your house to normal. Keep your chin up; this trip will be a week away before you know it.

PS - Beautiful photo of Walt and the castle!

Oh yes, allergies... they can be quite frigtening at times. Disney parks are some of the most accommodating places for allergies, so as fearful I am about eating food others prepare, I can breathe a little easier whist at Disney. Although, they did serve me something they shouldn't have once (and I reacted; long story involving some fault of my own), so I cannot let my guard down entirely.

Jennifer, thanks for your kind words! I'm sorry it's been a tough year for you guys, too. I hope this trip is a wonderful diversion and time for rejuvenation! My contractor is actually a really great guy; it's my insurance company that I'm not huge fans of right now. It's okay - this too shall pass. I just hope and pray it passes without my needing to sacrifice this trip as a result! So glad the food scare wasn't more serious!

Oh, and thanks for the compliments on the photo.

Hi Jenny,

Followed your link from the cruise meet thread. I am so envious of your castle photo. Some day I will get one. I'll probably have to get an early breakfast since we don't have any princesses.

FYI As someone who can relate to the Count on Sesame Street I am constantly telling myself "DO NOT go back and count all of those exclamation marks!" So far it's working.

We are going to spend a couple of days at the parks after the cruise. We usually go in the fall, less crowded and a little cooler, but since we will already be there we might as well go for it. We are going back fall of 2012 with the kids and grandkids. Would love to take them on a cruise someday.

Looking forward to reading more. I'm getting excited for you!!!

Debbie

Hi, Debbie, and welcome! Yes, this trip is going to be great, and the cruise will be great for all of us I hope! We're kind of the opposite of you; we'd love to take the grandparents (aka our mom and dad) on a cruise. Hopefully both of our wishes come true!

 

[donaldsgal]

I'm totally (and badly) ripping off a Beyonce song, but I needed a catchy post title, and that was the best I could come up with!

Non-Disney update: Insurance came back with a number a few thousand lower than my contractor quoted me. Today was a rough day as a result, so I watched some funny YouTube videos and decided to post a PTR update as a result! I'm really hoping these expenses don't come at the cost of this trip in May... one day at a time, though, right? For now, my plan to pay for the trip still works, so I'm going to be positive!

On a high note, my heat pump was replaced, and the A/C is now flowing gloriously through my house. Hannah is with me at my house this week, and tonight is vastly more comfortable. It's a wonderful thing to walk through the front door and be greeted by a blast of cold air, rather like entering a gift shop at Disney! [<-- I'm using this smilie because she looks "cool" and because I never use it. I'm feeling wild and crazy tonight! ]

Okay, now back to your regularly-scheduled PTR....

First up in my list of three factors needed for a Disney trip to be relaxing and fun was food. Though I already outlined my thoughts on that, expect me to talk more about that in the months ahead. Currently, I'm still debating the merits of table-service meals at lunch (in addition to the ones for dinner) to experience more restaurants and also give me rest to potentially avoid afternoon breaks. Don't get me wrong. I'm a fan of afternoon breaks. But I want to stay in the park as long as I feel like it, and I'm wondering if sit-down lunches would facilitate that. Of course, so would just lounging extra long at counter service locations... hmm... More to think about I guess.

Anyway, time to focus on the second factor in delightful Disney relaxation: park touring. While I thought about doing so, I'm not going to schedule any tours. They could be fun and a good use of my time for this trip, but I want my park time to be free to do with as I please. (I know, I'm making ADRs, but see the first item on this list for reference. For that matter, having ADRs will give me chances to rest up and maximize time in the parks if I get worn out.) The other thing about tours is that Melissa would like to do them, too, so we'll schedule those for a time we can do them together someday. I don't even know that I'll be focusing on rides!!! (That's saying something for me; I usually try to make sure we get multiple rides on our favorites per day, so that'll be a novel approach for me! ).

I think I'm more interested in the lesser-revered park experiences, like moseying around World Showcase and seeing films or sitting on benches and watching the ferries putz back and forth across WS Lagoon, taking pictures at night, watching the live performers in the parks, etc. I might sleep in, or I might not. I know I want a solid chunk of several hours to lounge by the pool with a book or with my iPhone's music library. I want to take boats when I can and not just bee-line for the fastest route between points A and B. I'm also leaning toward a morning at DTD. You get the hint. I'm wondering, what are your thoughts about activities that might be fun or interesting for a solo traveler?

I'll break down my park days in a future post (I'm a quick planner, you might say ), but as a heads-up, I might not go into the MK on the solo part of the trip because I'm planning to visit that park when Melissa and Hannah arrive. That said, I DO like the idea of visiting Tom Sawyer island and riding the TTA a few times in a row.... Decisions, decisions!

Park touring options include:
* Wandering around World Showcase seeing the films and the acrobats/live performers
* Riding whatever rides I want, even if it's EE 7 times in a row
* Staying in the park late to see the Kiss Goodnight (always say we will and then we always leave too quickly after the fireworks to see it)
* Going to the Poly and sitting on the beach with a virgin strawberry daquiri (if that's allowed) and watching the EWP and Wishes
* Taking the time to explore the shops in Harambe Village
* Watch the One Man's Dream film (missed it last time and haven't seen it in a few years)
* Going to Rafiki's Planet Watch
* ???

So, that's the latest update on park touring plans. Thoughts? Suggestions? Must-Sees or Must-Avoids? This won't be my first rodeo, so-to-speak; May 2012 will be my 3rd cruise and my 14th trip to WDW. However, there are things I always want to see or repeat, and I'm not above suggestions from my knowledgeable fellow DISers!

Okay, off to watch some TV and get my on.

Oh, and here's the relaxing WDW pic of the day is of...

DiVine. I find her exquisite, elegant, and enchanting! I love to watch her walk and amaze passers-by, myself among the amazed when I get to see her!

 

[ZFamily5]

Sounds like it will be a semi-relaxing trip! I've heard that the Boardwalk area is a fun place to explore, but you might have already done that!

 

[JaKyNyNe]

Love your PTR...thank you for sharing!