TRIP CANCELLED...The "we're not reeeeally planning a trip" pre-trip report...

[rottiemom]

8/19/09- It's done. It's cancelled. But I'm OK with that. When life hands you lemons, turn them into sour mix & make a glowtini anyway.

8/05/09 update-
I know that it's not the worst possible thing that could happen but I'm crushed. I'm holding out until that last possible day but it's pretty much a done deal. We have to cancel the trip. Even though the trip is all saved up for & paid for we need the money. My scrimped, saved, coupon clipped, pennies rolled WDW trip money.

I'm sick over this.

The worst part is that the trip$ is just a drop in the bucket as far as our finances go so it's not even like cancelling the trip will make THAT all better. It's just...the responsible, adult thing to do.

I have fought this tooth & nail & tried everything to avoid it but...well....

Being a grown up STINKS!

***Holy Carp! Have I been MIA or what? I just haven't had that mouse mindset. See Pg 3 for the latest & dullest!***


Blame it on the glowtinis! Forget the Jack Skellington mouse ears or the build-your-own lightsaber that's taller than my son, it was the Glowtini with it's wonderous blue cube that has become our best WDW souvenir. It would be only fitting if I was writing this by the light of a glow cube because it's gotta be the lure of the glowtini that's calling me back.

Well that and the fact that I only got to ride through the Haunted Mansion once. And the fact that we never managed to find Club Cool. Or go on Soarin'. Or find a single Dole Whip. Or...oh we just need to go back!


You know that phrase "carrot on a stick", about dangling a carrot in front of a donkey so that it'll keep plodding along?

It all started with a free dining pin code.

Actually it really all started with me trying to plan a first ever trip to WDW last spring & discovering the DIS . I lurked, I learned, I indexed and I planned and thanks to the accumulated knowledge of the people here we had a great trip. You can find the link to the unfinshed TR below.

Why unfinished? Because shortly after we returned home things started to go wrong. Nothing tragic, or life threatening but a lot of unpleasant reality all at once. There was suddenly no time for levity, fun or esacaping to the DIS. Then hours get cut back at work, meaning that money gets cut back. Expenses have already been cut back as far as they can.

Then, in February, I receive a pin code for free dining in September '09.
I agonize over things for awhile, then on the last possible day to use the pin code I book a trip. The trip is booked, but there's a self imposed catch. The catch is that I manage to save up enough to pay for the trip in full by July. And by "in full" I mean everything from air fare to dog boarding to spending money while at WDW. It's going to be tough. It may not even be possible. And if I can't save up the money for the trip in it's entirety I'm going to cancel it. So it has the potential to be painful as well.

I was reluctant to even start a PTR because that would make it even worse if we had to cancel...but then I found disposable plastic ponchos on sale for 50 cents each and a I realized that it was a sign from the shopping gods that writing a PTR would only serve to make me THAT MUCH MORE determined to make this trip happen. The glowtini on a stick, if you will.

Obviously, this trip to WDW in September is my carrot (or my glowtini). Hopefully I don't end up wanting to beat myself with the stick...

 

[rottiemom]

No, seriously...

We took our first trip last September and we had a great time but it was only after we got back home that we realized just how much fun we had at WDW...in addition to all of the things that we had missed. Add to that the basic stressless-ness and ease of the whole trip with no worries about travel, directions and parking. Throw in the free dining and, well, everybody was happy!

So when talking about maybe, someday, possibly taking another trip we decided that 3 factors were essential.

School vacation
Free dining
MNSSHP

The lure of the free dining pin code was too much to pass up. I've scheduled our trip to coincide with a school closing and it even looks like MNSSHP will be happening (more $$ to put aside but it was SUCH a blast). So the trip taking planets had aligned ! A sign!


Who we are : Me, my husband of 14 years and our 5 year old son. My husband insists that he is anti Disney yet, somehow, has no issues with our returning to WDW. Funny, that. I lovingly call him Satan. Think long haired, tattoo-ed and fu manchu-ed early 90's James Hetfield (I know!)

I am a dusty old punk rocker with crazily eclectic musical tastes, a twisted sense of humor and a delight in the absurd. In my heyday I was like Amy Winehouse with a mohawk (but without the substance abuse problem). Now I'm more like a train wreck .

Our son is a typical 5YO ball of energy. His favorite part of last year's trip was the pool and the gift shop . Now...NOW he talks about Splash Mountain and Disnosaur and the friend that he made on the pirate cruise, and Kali River Rapids and meeting the Power Rangers...as well at the pool and the gift shop .

A bit about us : Now you have to understand that in 14+ years this WDW trip was the first trip that we have ever taken that was not based entirely around motorcycles. I was very, very apprehensive about how a non bike related trip was going to go and if this would end up being a grit your teeth & do it for the child sort of thing. Obviously it went well enough that we're considering doing it again . Teeth were only gritted once...while riding IASW .

My better half & I are extremely into old bikes, primarily the vintage British variety (think Norton, Triumph, Vincent, etc.). Prior to our son's arrival we rode EVERWHERE and if we weren't riding there we were travelling with our gear so that we could ride when we got there. We fully expect to be stopped for a "random" search whenever we fly. Something about my husband just makes security gravitiate to him. I have fond memories of our trip home from our honeymoon. My impressively mohawked self is chatting with the customs agent in Heathrow about his tattoo sleeves and when I turn to look for my husband I find that security has him up against a wall & is patting him down. Helloooo? If we were going to attempt to smuggle anything we certainly wouldn't look like this! Ah, memories...

So while, with the exception of the HD shop in DTD, WDW doesn't have anything remotely motorcycle related my worries about the trip were unfounded. Plus, there are all of those trains. Did I mention that my better half is enamored of trains? Yeah, it caught me by surprise as well. So top of the list for this trip is the Magic Behind the Steam Trains tour (still more $ to save..I HATE being a grown up!).

OK, I think that I need to start making a list now.

Coming up next:

I've got the ponchos, what else do I need to buy?!

 

[rottiemom]

I guess it's kinda like having a second baby. You've already got the crib, bedding, bouncy seat, high chair & stuff from the first. You may need to get a few more bibs & onesies since some of them are stained or mangy and you'll need the obvious like diapers & disposables but most of the initial money layout is done.

So it is with my "stuff to stash" list. Obviously I'll need to buy more sunscreen & blister band aids for the trip but I've already got a ton of travel sized toiletries stashed away. I still have my Keens from last year as well as a pile of light colored Ts (oddly enough all bike related ) and shorts. While it would be nice to NEED to buy more clothing because I've suddenly gotten thinner, well...let's just say that if that miracle happens I'll find a way to make do .

I found a great bag on the clearance rack last year that was the PERFECT park bag for me. A Fossil messenger bag with about 3 external zippered pockets & enough internal pockets to keep everything organized no matter how hard I tried to mess things up. It's canvas so it doesn't matter if it gets splashed or soaked and I can stitch up any tear or lose seam with ease. I love that bag & it's just hanging in the closet, waiting for an excuse to be used. And you already know about the ponchos. We did bring our waterproof riding gear last year as a just in case but while it takes up next to no space in a tailpack it was too cumbersome to just tuck into a purse. Thankfully we didn't need it because it spent the entire time in the suitcase.

Oh yeah, suitcases. We've already got those as well. And I even have a couple of samples of waterproof mascara to test drive as well (that was a big pre-trip hassle last year, finding a mascara that would render my skimpy lashes actually visible and not end up halfway down my face after an hour in the heat).

The one thing that I would like is another digital camera (one more time ). While the Canon that I have takes outstanding pictures the lag time between pictures is ridiculously long. Good luck catching anything candid. It did a great job for our trip last year (with the exception of me messing up the settings & shutting off the flash for the diver photos ). Well who knows, maybe if I can save up the extra on top of the extra on TOP of the extra?

My son is likely going to need clothes & swimwear but that's a given. The good thing about going in September is that I'll have to buy the stuff for the summer anyway so we'll already have it. It's like extending summer for another month.

So really, aside from sunscreen, band aids & some snacks I really don't need to buy anything for this trip!

Yeah, right.

 

[jmskinner]

Hey. Saw you over on Di and Grumpy's TR and thought I would check out your PTR, but I am on my way out of the house so haven't read it yet, but I'm subscribing so I will come back to it.

 

[Dr_Finkelstein]

D'oh! i thought I would maybe be the first, but Melissa beat me to it, still, I'm 2nd!!!!!!!

I told you Disney put something in the water......one taste and you're hooked!!!

So cool you got a code for dining - we don't get those over here!

As for the $ - I always find blatant appeals for cash help!

Di x

PS, remember to tell your DH - no nunchucks in hand luggage...

 

[rottiemom]

Oooh, I've got company!

Hey. Saw you over on Di and Grumpy's TR and thought I would check out your PTR, but I am on my way out of the house so haven't read it yet, but I'm subscribing so I will come back to it.

Thank you so much for stopping by & I'm sorry about leaving you guys in the lurch with my unfinished TR. I'm tempted to see if the mods will reopen it. I didn't even get to tell you about the night we spent in the castle and how we led the parade and...well, none of that actually happened.

D'oh! i thought I would maybe be the first, but Melissa beat me to it, still, I'm 2nd!!!!!!!

Hi Di! Second is just as good . I know I said that I wouldn't but I keep checking your TR for updates .

I told you Disney put something in the water......one taste and you're hooked!!!

It was the Jungle Cruise that won him over, I'm sure of it. Oh and I'm sure that my better half didn't suspect a thing when I'd mention things like "you know, if we ever go back to WDW you need to go on the Steam Train tour" . I think that he went expecting the worst, mandatory mouse ears being forced on you & the entire place nothing but IASW. Instead we met a bunch of people just like us. There with their children, on vacation & having fun.

So cool you got a code for dining - we don't get those over here!

Overseas usually gets first dibs on the free dining though. As I understand it it's offered to you guys a few months before they even dangle it in front of us great unwashed, non Disney Visa holding here in the US.

But I am lucky, lucky, lucky because there was NO WAY that I could get the better half to agree to this trip if it wasn't for the free dining. Even a 40% off pincode wasn't temptation enough...I think that Disney panicked when they saw that I didn't bite at 40% off and sent me the free dining out of desperation . I'm not complaining! Believe me.

PS, remember to tell your DH - no nunchucks in hand luggage...

I'll remind him again but he'll make me take out the whole list of forbidden items, you know that!
"what about throwing axes?"
"scimitars?"
"a morningstar? Nowhere on that list does it specifically say no morningstars!"

 

[jmskinner]

But Di, you got to read it first.

Ok, just read it, now I know a little about ya and I am very interested. We love to look at motorcycles ourselves. Don't own them, but my parents ride Harley's and go to a lot of the rallys. We went to Mrytle Beach with them one year and had a blast. Also, love the "Ride to the Wall" in DC. One of the main things I miss about DC.

Sorry to hear you have so much trouble with security. Not fair!

So, did I miss your dates. We got a bounceback code for free dining when we stayed last September, so we are going Sept 4-7. I am hoping the Sept 4th date for MNSSHP is true so we can go. It is the best. Where are you staying?

Oh, you mention Dole Whip. My absolute favorite. I didn't try them until after two trips to WDW and we moved to Florida. Now, on my way out of MK, I grab one.

I hope everything works out and you get to make your trip. Just looked at what we owed, . Oh well, that is why I have the Chase Visa, won't have to pay it off for six months.

I understand what you mean about your camera not taking pics quick enough. I got an SLR for Christmas from Best Buy. No interest for 18 months, so I just pay a little each month.

 

[disneyaddicted]

I hope you get to go back. This PTR is fun. I have never thought of comparing going back to Disney with having a second baby. Works for me, wonder if the husband will buy it.

 

[rottiemom]

Ok, just read it, now I know a little about ya and I am very interested. We love to look at motorcycles ourselves. Don't own them, but my parents ride Harley's and go to a lot of the rallys. We went to Mrytle Beach with them one year and had a blast. Also, love the "Ride to the Wall" in DC. One of the main things I miss about DC.

I had always liked motorcycles but had never learned to ride (actually had been forbidden to ride as long as I lived in my mother's house...she HATES them). My better half is bike obsessed and it's proof of how much my mother looooves my husband since once he came on the scene she thought that it was wonderful that he was teaching me to ride. Thicko me didn't fare too well with the teaching, though, and after breaking about a dozen turn signals on his bike I decided to go take the MSF course. Best thing I ever did. While sometimes I miss the closeness of riding on the back there's no comparison to riding your own. I finally took (and passed ) the road test on my 30th birthday and have been having a blast ever since.

I've never done the Ride to the Wall and I hear that it is absolutely humbling, an incredible experience. We've taken a lot of trips and met some great people as a result of riding. Plus you're more inclined to take the long way and to stop & check things out. If you ever think that you might have the urge to learn to ride I can point you in the right direction .

Sorry to hear you have so much trouble with security. Not fair!

We usually just laugh about it & make sure to allow for extra time at the airport . You either laugh or go crazy (crazier). Oddly enough we had no issues at all flying to & from WDW. I was sure that we'd run into some trouble at Orlando airport but they waved us right through to the short line. It must be 'cause my son's so cute .

So, did I miss your dates. We got a bounceback code for free dining when we stayed last September, so we are going Sept 4-7. I am hoping the Sept 4th date for MNSSHP is true so we can go. It is the best. Where are you staying?

You didn't miss them because I didn't post them (duuuuuh). We're booked for September 23-28 at POP. Believe me, about a month after we got home I was kicking myself for not booking bounceback, especially with all of the rumbling about the changes to the dining plan & the likelihood of no free dining at the value resorts. We stayed at POP last September & my son loved it. In spite of Di's gorgeous pictures of POR tempting me I know full well that anything that ISN'T a tent is a step up for us while on vacation.

Oh I hope the MNSSHP dates are right & that you get to go! It was part of the reason that I booked later in September, in the hope that we would be able to catch one of the parties.

Oh, you mention Dole Whip. My absolute favorite. I didn't try them until after two trips to WDW and we moved to Florida. Now, on my way out of MK, I grab one.

I ws determined to try one but just got overwhelmed at the MK. Our first time there was for MNSSHP and while it was awesome it was a bad time for a first trip as not only did I not have any idea just how un-crowded the park was it also gets really, really dark. I couldn't even find the haunted mansion and we basically fumbled our way through the park. We had a blast, we just missed out on a bunch of stuff since we had no idea of the lay of the land. Then, our first day at the MK was the Sunday after the party...which turned out to be an EMH day (according to my research prior to leaving it wasn't supposed to be but the hours had changed). The place was crowded, much more so than the MNSSHP, our son was in a foul, twisted mood and we ended up leaving the park around 2PM & not going back.

I hope everything works out and you get to make your trip. Just looked at what we owed, . Oh well, that is why I have the Chase Visa, won't have to pay it off for six months.

Thanks...I am determined! I am looking at everything that can be eliminated, sold or saved. I've told our son about the trip, but that we've got to save up for it so that we can take it. My husband gives him change for our "trip piggy bank" and he runs to put it away. Little things & baby steps but hopefully it will all get us there.
I know how I am, if I have something like the Chase card with deferred interest I'll put off making any payments until the last possible month anyway so I'm better off trying to save up the money first .

I understand what you mean about your camera not taking pics quick enough. I got an SLR for Christmas from Best Buy. No interest for 18 months, so I just pay a little each month.

That's smart! I know that my husband wants an SLR & it would be a wise purchase for him as he has a great 35mm Canon (that uses olde fashioned filme) so the lenses would all be interchangeable. I'm more of a point & shoot snapshot girl while he's all about the vision & the capture of the perfect shot. What kind of SLR do you have?

Mind you, that SLR money would not be coming out of MY vacation fund !

 

[rottiemom]

I hope you get to go back. This PTR is fun. I have never thought of comparing going back to Disney with having a second baby. Works for me, wonder if the husband will buy it.

Hi Disneyaddicted! Thanks for stopping by. When I was pregnant I had picked up a book called Baby Bargains & it was all about what you really needed for a baby vs what the stores & registries told you that you'd need and how to get the best value for you money, etc. One of the things that stuck with me while my head was spinning over how much STUFF I had to get was how they broke down the costs of "supplies" for any subsequent babies. Since the big ticket items are already on hand from the first child, as well as toys & basic clothing your next child won't "cost" nearly as much.

I'm pretty positive that my husband would much rather go back to WDW than to have another baby so maybe I should try my logic out on him!

 

[jmskinner]

Your going about the time we decided to go to WDW last year and did MNSSHP. It wasn't crowded at all. And I think you are the only one that has mentioned how dark the parks are at night. I get a little worried about losing my son at night in the parks. I normally goof and put him in a black t-shirt so I really can't see him.

I bought (ok I owe payment on ) the Canon XSi. I am really loving it and it has point and shoot settings, so both of you can use it. Still trying to figure out how to adjust settings and took a class but had to miss half of it because I was sick. But it is nice that I can always just use the point and shoot settings.

 

[rottiemom]

Your going about the time we decided to go to WDW last year and did MNSSHP. It wasn't crowded at all. And I think you are the only one that has mentioned how dark the parks are at night. I get a little worried about losing my son at night in the parks. I normally goof and put him in a black t-shirt so I really can't see him.

I remember reading somewhere on the DIS about the parks getting really dark at night so I had brought along a small flashlight & some glow stick bracelets. The flashlight was useless except for the 2 square inches that it actually illuminated but the glow bracelets worked out really well. My son was in his blue power ranger costume which tended to blend into the dark but with a glow bracelet on each wrist I could find him at a glance. Plus, they glowed, so he was happy to wear them .

I bought (ok I owe payment on ) the Canon XSi. I am really loving it and it has point and shoot settings, so both of you can use it. Still trying to figure out how to adjust settings and took a class but had to miss half of it because I was sick. But it is nice that I can always just use the point and shoot settings.

Those are very, ver nice cameras & along the lines of what my better half is looking for. It'll be up to me to find the bargain, though .

 

[rottiemom]

Sometime's a girl has just got to indulge herself. I succumbed, I couldn't help it. I was in Macy's yesterday trying to pick up a bridal shower gift (the salegirls made that as difficult as possible) and ended up coming home with a suede Lucky Brand bag that I had been coveting. Original price 208$, after assorted coupons it cost me 36$ . This is NOT coming out of my WDW savings! I'll sneak it out of the grocery budget .

Anyway, so far I've got about 600$ in the WDW fund and I haven't even started selling off things yet. If I can keep up at this rate we'll be staying at the Grand Floridian . I say again .

Seriously, though, accounting for everything & estimating high I'll need to save around 2300$ for the trip and that's including everything from MNSSHP tickets to dog boarding to booze while away. Call it 2400$ and that means I'm a quarter of the way there with 4 1/2 months left to go. Forget a trip ticker, I need a savings ticker.

 

[Dr_Finkelstein]

Hi Nina,

You sound as if you're doing well with the savings so far. We've surprised ourselves with saving so much since we came back - we've got £1700 saved since November. It's amazing how you can manage if you really try...we've managed very well making that tin of beans last a whole week!

Saying that we need to save £5000 so still a ways to go!

Yeah, we get the free dining released over here early but they've changed it all. When we booked for last year free dining was only available if you booked to stay in a moderate or deluxe hotel. Hence we booked at POFQ.

Now you get free dining if you stay at a value or moderate but only the quick service dining (no table service meals). You have to stay in a deluxe now to get the traditional dining plan free (1 t/s, 1 c/s & 1 snack). So I think you still get the better deal. Yet another reason for us to emigrate!

MNSSHP would be great if you could go back, and you definately need to get a Dole Whip - scrumptious!!! And the fudge from the fudgery is pretty heavenly too!

Di x

 

[rottiemom]

You sound as if you're doing well with the savings so far.

I do, don't I? I'm just at a complete loss as to where the remaining 3/4 of the money is going to come from. Maybe I could take in laundry?

Now you get free dining if you stay at a value or moderate but only the quick service dining (no table service meals). You have to stay in a deluxe now to get the traditional dining plan free (1 t/s, 1 c/s & 1 snack). So I think you still get the better deal. Yet another reason for us to emigrate!

This is really why I pounced on the (lucky, lucky, lucky) free dining pin code offer. I had read about the changes to the free dining offer to the UK which tends to foreshadow the FD that will be offered to the great unwashed in the US. And while the quick service dining would be fine I loved having the opportunity to try a few table service places that we would otherwise have had to skip.

And you don't fool me...the main reason for you to emigrate would be the proximity to WDW .

MNSSHP would be great if you could go back, and you definately need to get a Dole Whip - scrumptious!!! And the fudge from the fudgery is pretty heavenly too!

We didn't even make it into the candy shop . What I LOVED were the chocolate dipped mickey ice cream bars ! I'm a fan of that sort of thing anyway but these were absolutely divine. I don't know if it was the ice cream itself or the lack of freezer burn .

 

[inkedupmomma]

Hi, I found you over at Sophia's PTR (ohiodisneylover). I am subbing!!

 

[rottiemom]

Hi, I found you over at Sophia's PTR (ohiodisneylover). I am subbing!!

Hi Inkedupmomma, and welcome! I hope that I can keep you entertained. This PTR might be worth it just for the train wreck factor . Your kids are adorable, BTW.

Which reminds me, I need to post some pictures. For now there are a handful in my TR linked below if anyone is curious.

 

[rottiemom]

The cops were over at our neighbor's house AGAIN yesterday. They seem to get called over there every few months. It's like theatre. The kids are completely out of control & the parents make no effort. Any attempt at talking to the parents, like the time one of our cars was shot up with paintballs, is met with either "well you'll have to talk to the kids yourself" (um, no, try again) or, like the time they decided to have a party on the front lawn until 2AM & leave their empty beer bottles (and dime bags) on our front lawn "well I told them to stop but they didn't". Amazing! BTW- the best part of the dime bag incident was that when I mentioned it the response was "oh there's no way they were doing that, if they were smoking pot I would have smelled it". It's only a matter of time before I snap, I swear.

Anyway, I'm sitting on the loveseat, putting off starting dinner, when the dog gets up to go to the window (she's 75 pounds of goof and does nothing smoothly or quietly ). I notice that a mini van has pulled up in front of the house across the street & that three stooges have gotten out & are wheeling a massive flat screen TV out of it. They're not doing a very good job of it and I'm waiting for the inevitable crash (waiting with glee, I'm ashamed to say...these neighbors are WRETCHED). The mother pokes her head out of the door & progress stops, there's a huddle & then the TV is wheeled back into the clown car & everyone disappears.

I get up to make dinner, leaving the dog and her empty thought bubble on sentry and as I'm bringing dinner to the table I notice that there are now 3 cop cars lined up in front of the house. Fantastic. They're there for a good half hour. The dog sits calmly at the window throughout all of this.

Of course I have no idea what happened but my guess is that the TV was stolen. I'm assuming the mother called the cops.

And here I thought that WE were going to be the ones bringing down the property values in the neighborhood !

 

[tiggersam00]

Ok, your PTR Rocks! I am subbing. Your neighbors sound like absolute train wrecks! We have an old drunk guy living across from us... he just falls down alot though.

 

[jmskinner]

Glad to hear the mother called the cops! We were having problems with teens hanging out in the conservation lot behind us. We know they have a fire pit, which we have brush fires occuring all around this area. My neighbor's daughter heard they have a mattress back there. So two weeks ago there are several kids back there, so my neighbor calls the cops. The sheriff's deputy brings all the kids out, makes them call their parents to come get them and arrests one! Haven't seen them back there again.

Finding packets in my yard would freak me out, especially having a young one!