The 'Is it to early to start a pre-trip report?' report.

[vleeth]

I’m going to add a disclaimer here…I love to talk…am terribly long winded…and take a really long time to tell a story because I add so many details….you’ve been warned!!!

I’m vleeth…33 years old…love to plan vacations
Married to Husband…I really call him husband…so that works here…he is 55 years old….and has no interest in planning vacations…he does however, not mind one bit that I have a mild obsession for planning said vacations
Together we have DD5 and I also have 3 DSD (step daughters) ages 25, 23 & 22. We don’t yet know if they will be coming with us. More on who is coming in a bit.

I say is it too early because we are planning our trip for Spring Break…that would be Spring Break of 2012…that’s right…more than a year and a half from now. But since I’m already researching…I figured…why not!?! My family may not understand my obsessive need to plan, plan, plan and plan some more for our Orlando vacations. But I bet there is quite a few Dis folks who understand completely! Now I know that there isn’t as much of a need to plan for Universal as there is for Disney…but planning to me is almost as much fun as the vacation itself.

So here’s how the whole thing got started. We own a sign shop and every two years Orlando has a International Sign Association Convention (ISA). We were there this April and the next one will be in April 2012. But to tell you how this came about I have to take you back in time. (I warned you about the long winded thing!) Now let me take you back to 2004. We were going to a ISA convention when DSD and her band were traveling to Universal to be in their parade. We made plans to go to watch her in the parade. My MIL & FIL were meeting us in Orlando to also see the parade. My Brother-in-law (Robo) and 2 nieces surprised us by coming with them. We had a grand time at IOA. Well a few months back I told Robo we need to go back to Universal. He said okay…the girls have been bothering me about that Harry Potter thing (they are huge fans!) I say we aren’t planning on going back until April 2012. He says, good, gives me time to save. So that begins the story.

 

[vleeth]

A couple months back I got to break the news to my nieces that we were planning the trip. My sister in law (Sassy) overheard us and now they are coming…so I figured I should let the whole family know we are going and see who’s in. Niece Laurel is a big Harry Potter fan so they are in.

As of now its me, husband, DD5, Robo, niece16, niece14, Sassy, nephew, great-nephew4, Laurel, Laurels DH and their 2 boys nephew6 and nephew3. That makes 13 and we have more who may decide to come. So we’re renting a house. We’ve stayed in Emerald Island before and it was nice so that is where I’m looking for now.

As for tickets I’m thinking about getting the 4 day pass so that we have 2 full days at each park and get some off days for shopping and swimming.

I have to admit here that until this all came about...I was not a Harry Potter fan. I love to read, but had not read any of the books nor had a seen any of the movies. But I'm working on it. I've watched and read the first three and I can now say that I am a fan.

 

[indimom]

I saw your title and it got me intrigued.
WHY? Because I'm doing the same thing....

I'm taking a joint Disney/Universal trip in December 2012 to celebrate my 40th with my sisters. This has been in the works for 3 years.

Disclaimer: I started typing this and realized pretty quick that my story gets confusing because four sisters are involved. So, I'm going to call them Sisters 1-4 just to keep life straight. I'm sister3.

When Sister1 turned 40, Sisters 2-4 (still Indiana girls) surprised her with a visit (she lives near Destin, Fl).
She was soooo surprised and excited. Had never expected us to all take off work and travel to Florida just to celebrate her big 4-O with her. And it got us all talking about how we should celebrate each of our 40th birthdays together.

Sister2 had (at that point) recently found out her marriage was failing (she has since gotten a divorce and remarried actually), and she said she would LOVE to take go to Hawaii for her 40th. Well, her 40th birthday is coming in February. Since she just remarried and together they have 4 kids and very hectic lives, I sort of assumed Hawaii was out (okay with me, I'm saving for my own 40th!).
But just last week I heard via the sister grapevine that she would still like to do something, so I think we're going to have to start planning her event soon.

Sister4 thought maybe a cruise, but I don't think she's settled on anything yet. She's young, there's time.

Sister3(me) said I would love to do Disney with my sisters for my 40th. We went twice as a family of six when we were very young (one day each time), but Sister4 and I were too young to really remember these trips. My parents, myself and Sister4 went again in the 90s (one day MK, one day Epcot) when Sister2 was performing with her Show Choir at Epcot.
We've all gone at least once as families of our own, but I really like the idea of doing this with just my sisters! Too Fun!

Well, it is turning into something more than even I anticipated. Sister3 and I are both huge Potter fans, and there is NO WAY I can take her to Disney and NOT do Universal. Especially when I add in the fact that she is a coaster fan, but her family is NOT, so she'll never get to really enjoy it any other way. (Yeah, I'm not getting anything out of this... )
So, the second week in December is our plan (My birthday is New Years' Eve, but I'm NOT that brave). By going early in the month we get low crowd weeks and we still get to enjoy the Christmas events and decorations. I'm looking forward to going when it's cool also! Bonus!

I'm also hoping to fit in a Universal only trip with my DH and kids sometime before then...Maybe Christams 2011 or Spring Break 2012. Not sure how this one is going to work out, but it's a goal anyway.

So, needless to say, your title caught my eye. Thought I'd bop in and say HI, and try to keep up with your Pre-TR. Maybe I'll learn a few things by the time my "day in the sun" arrives!!! At the very least, it might make the time go by faster. Can't believe I'm anticipating turning 40.

Good Luck with your planning!

 

[vleeth]

A girls only trip sounds wonderful. I don't have any sisters, so I can only imagine the bond you must have.

We are talking about taking a trip to the Keys in June 2011. If we do that we'll stop at Disney...or Universal on the way. I'm considering getting AP's to Universal since the two trips will be less than a year apart. I just don't know if I can go to Orlando twice in less than a year and not do Disney also...my DD5 loves it (I guess most kids do.)

I've learned so much off of these boards. And I LOVE to plan. I've been to IOA twice but never the Universal Studios theme park. So I have to learn all about it (poor me..lol!)

Do you still live in Indiana? Do you drive? It's 11 hours for us so we always drive.

 

[cuddles]

You are absolutely right, half the fun of a vacation is planning! We are going April 2011 and I just spent all of August and September trying to choose a hotel. My son says I was driving him crazy because I coudn't decide. He said if I hadn't found one by Oct 1st he was going to put all the names in a bag and just pull one out,lol....luckily it didn't come to that. We are now booked at the RPH and Caribe Royale. The sad part is I am kind of disapointed that I am done looking because it was fun reading all the reviews from different sites, I miss looking!

I am a firm believer that the sooner you start planning the better the trip will be so have fun!

 

[vleeth]

I love looking at the pictures of the houses for rent and reading the reviews...so much so that I've bookmarked homes that are 4, 5, 6 & 7 bedroom for whenever we have a final number. I could have just waited to find out how many rooms we will need and then look...but I just like doing it too much.

 

[indimom]

A girls only trip sounds wonderful. I don't have any sisters, so I can only imagine the bond you must have.
It has it's pros and it's cons... We had to share one room between the four of us one summer during high school and it wasn't pretty. We do pretty good now that we don't live together.
We are talking about taking a trip to the Keys in June 2011. If we do that we'll stop at Disney...or Universal on the way. I'm considering getting AP's to Universal since the two trips will be less than a year apart. I just don't know if I can go to Orlando twice in less than a year and not do Disney also...my DD5 loves it (I guess most kids do.)
I know what you mean. I've split up our trips to Universal and Disney each time we've gone (just because it worked out better financially to do multi-day stays at each), but it's realy hard to be in Orlando and not go to both.
I've learned so much off of these boards. And I LOVE to plan. I've been to IOA twice but never the Universal Studios theme park. So I have to learn all about it (poor me..lol!)
Isn't the planning the best part??? I could spend all day just looking over rentals and hotels and different ticket options. It's a sickness.
Do you still live in Indiana? Do you drive? It's 11 hours for us so we always drive.

Yes, we live in southeastern Indiana. We flew once and drove the other two times. It's 16 hours to drive, two to fly. Honestly, I'm better with the drive even though it's longer. Doing the airport thing stresses me out AND I like to pack...a lot....

 

[fanhost]

Hmm..It's good time to start..

 

[vleeth]

I went to K-Mart and could not believe what I saw!

Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans and they were on sale for $1 a bag. I got 7 or 8 of them. I guess I’d better give them away as Christmas gifts because they may not be good for another year and a half…it would help if there was an expiration date!

 

[vleeth]

My oldest and youngest step-girls and their guys won't know if they can come until after we have booked the house. Is there enough room in the rooms to put a queen size mattress on the floor?

 

[vleeth]

Oh my...so much can change so quickly.

Turns out that NONE of us have the same spring break! So we're moving the trip to June 2012 after everyone gets out of school. Of course all of the school calenders for next school year aren't out yet...so we don't know when the trip will be. I'm hoping that everyone from Ohio will be out on June 1st so the trip will be from June 2nd - 9th. If that works out my DH, DD and I will have to go a few days early so we can spend our 10th Anniversary in Orlando. That would be awesome!

And now we have 9 families that are saying they want to go. But something tells me when its time to put the deposit on the house that number will shrink. Which makes my job difficult because I don't know how big of a house I need until I know for sure who is going. But, I guess if I'm honest, I would have to say that I love planning and I don't mind replanning. It's almost a disease. But I have a feeling that you understand!

 

[vleeth]

Over a year later and my how things have changed. Our trip will now be my DD, Husband and myself.

Work issues and money issues and hospital issues caused everyone else to cancel. But no way, after all this time of planning, am I calling it quits.

We will arrive in Orlando on May 31st and spend our 10 year Anniversary (June 1) at IOA.

So to answer my title question...yes, it was way to early to start a pre-trip report.

 

[reelmom]

Wow! Lots of changes but either way, you will have a great time.

 

[macraven]

Over a year later and my how things have changed. Our trip will now be my DD, Husband and myself.

Work issues and money issues and hospital issues caused everyone else to cancel. But no way, after all this time of planning, am I calling it quits.

We will arrive in Orlando on May 31st and spend our 10 year Anniversary (June 1) at IOA.

So to answer my title question...yes, it was way to early to start a pre-trip report.

i do feel your pain.
so many times i planned trips for myself and friends and it bottomed out.
the only thing i do now on planning an event at the darkside is the vip rip tours way in advance.


go and have a fun time at the darkside.
it's gonna be lovely that you are celebrating your anniversary there.
and daughter gets to join in on the fun.

 

[vleeth]

I'm so excited about this trip! Thanks for the encouragement!

 

[vleeth]

This is the plan. Drive on May 31st.

June 1st Spend out 10th Anniversaryat IOA. Staying at a Partner Hotel so early admission to WWOHP.

June 2nd Star Wars Weekend

June 3rd water park and church

June 4th Magic Kingdom

June 5th off day...maybe Disney Quest

June 6th Universal Studios

June 7th Epcot

June 8th drive to beach

June 9th & 10th beach

It'll be interesting to see how well we stick to plans. I know the touring plans never go as scheduled!

 

[Fantasmic23]

I'm in!