Strange feeling of bitter sweet sadness...

[SumWhrOvrThRanBo]

I'm in the midst of planning our very first WDW vacation and for months have been doing research on where to stay-- on site, off site, family suite, 2 value rooms, renting DVC points...
Ultimately I decided to bite the bullet and last night signed and contract & rented DVC points-- we have a reservation at AKV Kidani Village in a 2 BR villa. I'm SOOOO excited-- although there is part of me that is sad. All the research & anxiety & decision making is over... I now feel kinda sorta 'empty'- it's hard to explain... Yes I may have lost my mind!! Haha!

 

[amym2]

Oh yes, I am sure many of us know how you feel! We are DVC members and just hit our 7 month mark to book Aulani yesterday and now that it is booked, I feel a weight lifted off my shoulders but also the feeling like the fun part is over. For me, the planning is as much fun as the trip (well maybe not quite). That's why we spend time on the disboards living vicariously through other people's planning!

You are going to love AKV! Congrats on making your decision. The first WDW trip is so magical but can be so stressful. Now you can relax and look forward to it! Assuming you have made all of your ADRs and planned out which parks to do when and which rides to hit first and what to wear each day and what souvenirs to buy...

 

[mmmears]

Don't worry -- you still have plenty left that you can plan. ADRs, park touring schedules, etc. There's still plenty to keep you busy.

Oh -- we love AKL -- it's just an amazing place -- I hope you like it too!

 

[goofy4tink]

Oh sweetie...you've just begun to plan!!! Silly you!!!! Great choice of resort. And great decision to rent points.....now you'll be spoiled for those regular stays!!!
You still have dining to look forward to....and just so you know??? You may 'think' you've made your ADRs at that 6 mo window, but you haven't. You'll keep going back and tweaking them..we all do. It's an addiction!! Then, you get to plan which parks on which days. Oh, the planning doesn't end until you're on the plane going home. And then?? Why, you start planning the next trip!!!!

 

[scdak]

Oh sweetie...you've just begun to plan!!! Silly you!!!! Great choice of resort. And great decision to rent points.....now you'll be spoiled for those regular stays!!!
You still have dining to look forward to....and just so you know??? You may 'think' you've made your ADRs at that 6 mo window, but you haven't. You'll keep going back and tweaking them..we all do. It's an addiction!! Then, you get to plan which parks on which days. Oh, the planning doesn't end until you're on the plane going home. And then?? Why, you start planning the next trip!!!![/QUOTE
Truer words I have never read! Your planning is just starting, and the ADR addiction is really bad sometimes, I swear my fingertips could have bled from punching the keyboard so many times looking for reservations and changing reservations!

 

[Shaden]

You know whats funny, is that we actually booked our ADRs first, while waiting for the Jan 3 promotion to launch (we didn't even KNOW a discount would be coming actually) ... booked ADRs for May. Had that all in line and then had to wait for a promotion, jumped on the Jan 3 spring deal.

Admittedly we did decide to extend the trip be a couple days in Feb, so got to add a couple more ADRs. But really on this trip and our trip last year, once we made our ADRs we didn't change them.

Thats not to say there is no more planning, oh the park planning, the imagining your trip in the many forms it could take .... yes yes, this is (almost) half the fun.

Actually already thinking about our NEXT trip, thinking that we could upgrade to APs and then book a Bounceback while we are there, so we could get a "discount" trip in.

 

[Mynamewastaken]

Ahahahha I get it. I am the same way. I also got the pleasure of booking my sisters trip... I just love all the planning. I will be so depressed when my vacation comes to an end

 

[Robbi]

Go to the Creative Disigns board. There will be more than enough projects to keep you busy-journals, autograph books, candy wrappers, t shirts, and much more:
http://disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=105

 

[bnk1120]

I love planning and feel "empty" any time I'm not planning something! I drive my husband nuts!

The worst is when the trip is over and the post-vacation blues set in

 

[abner1776]

There is never a down time for planning when it comes to WDW.

As a DVC member I booked our DD's into OKW for an April trip sometime around last Xmas.
You would have thought that that was it...flights booked, resort booked, ME booked, ADR's booked...done, right ? Wrong
You've got the countdown calendar, advanced checkin at 60 days, podcasts to listen to, new wristbands or room keys, etc., etc. Just dropped off the ME packet with the DD's the other day, so now they can plan on which bags to take...the planning never ends.

I will admit that when you book at the 11 month window(for DVC'ers) there does seem to be a lag time, but the vacation will be here before you know it.