therealgoofy
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- May 26, 2003
- Messages
- 168
Two Texans and a Mouse
Pre-Trip, 9/18
Dates: 9/22-9/29 Austin, TX to WDW
Coronado Springs Resort
Cast Members:
Chris ambitious planner, twenty-something (ok, 29, but that still counts)
Jill (girlfriend) recent college grad that has no idea whats in store for her. Newbie to everything WDW/Univeral
So here goes
We (read as I) have been planning this trip for the last 4 months. I ordered the vacation video at the beginning of summer and casually threw it in the DVD player for Jill to watch. Secretly, I knew its power. We got the adult-tailored version of the video because I didnt want her to think that the only thing to do when we got there was to visit Fantasyland and get autographs from people dressed up in costumes. We watched it and she immediately said Lets do it! So, I quickly ran to the bedroom and disrobed. I soon realized that she meant that she wanted to go to WDW. DOOOAH! Oh well, we were going to WDW!!
Being the geek that I am, I dashed to my pc and built a spreadsheet to see how we were going to be able to afford this trip. I wanted it to be completely paid for before we left and it was going to take some creative financial planning. By creative planning I mean that we would take turns pan-handling on busy street corners after work. Seriously though, I didnt want to go into debt to take the trip. Jills birthday was that next weekend so I made a birthday card for her and incorporated the Disney trip into it. Feel free to swoon if youre a woman and puke if youre not. A homemade b-day card?! Paah,leeese! Either way, it worked boy, did it work. In the card I explained that I would take care of all of the major expenses like hotel, tickets, car and airfare. We agreed to split the meals and spending cash.
I started a WDW fund and tossed every extra penny I had into it. I was able to pay off our airline tickets, the 7-night stay at Coronado Springs resort, and our park tickets in no time (Fairytale Package). Shortly thereafter, I rented a car and bought 5 day passes to Universal/IOA (internet special at universalstudios.com). With just under 2 months remaining, the bulk of the trip was paid for. Since then, we have both been saving like crazy so that we can afford to do a couple nicer meals while were there. Im not one for souvenirs and such, but you never know what else will come up.
For my birthday in August, Jill surprised me with a DiveQuest tour at the Living Seas in Epcot. Ok, so it wasnt such a surprise considering I spammed her for about two weeks straight with the link on how to make the reservation for it. I was SCUBA certified in college a couple of years back and this is going to be my first dive since my open water exam. Nervous?! Absolutely not.
Ive been tirelessly planning our trip from reading the DIS boards. They are an invaluable resource and I feel like out trip will be 200 times better because of them. We bought the Birnbaums guide and borrowed the Unofficial Guide from a neighbor. I have read most of both of them, and feel like they have prepared me for our adventure. Ill occasionally throw in the planning DVD to get as Jill excited, but shes never been, so she has NO IDEA what to expect. Her only comparison is Six Flags which is fun in its own right, but its no WDW. We sat down the other night and I asked her what her expectations were for the trip and they turned out to be a tad different than mine. Shes the type of person who likes to sleep in on vacation. I had to firmly explain the reasoning for getting to the park at 3am and being the first ones in the gates . Once shes up, shes fine, but its the getting up thats the hard part (note to self: pack bugle horn). She thinks that this is going to be like going to any old regular theme park and Ive kind of let her think that. She rarely picks up either of the guides at least from what I can tell. Shes pretty much going into this thing blind. If she didnt have me, she would be one of the many patrons who will get shoved out of the way because they stopped in the middle of Main St. USA to check out their park map. As a matter of fact, shes a pretty lucky girl!! Ill have to remind her of that.
My schedule is ambitious, but I think its achievable. Remember, it is September and Im hoping that the crowds are manageable. By manageable I mean non-existent. We also have youth on our side. I plan on 2 hours of sleep a night at most. Im going to be curious to see if we can get it all done. If not so be it. I had a lot of fun making it.
Monday:
Arrive at 2:00 at MCO. Pick up car and check in to Coronado Springs Resort.
Magic Kingdom by 5 p.m. to cover Adventureland/Liberty Square/Main St. USA. I opened a poll a couple of weeks ago and let the DISers vote on which ride we will ride first and I promised to hold true to their vote. They voted for Pirates of the Caribbean. With that said, we will be riding the Haunted Mansion first.
Counter Service Dinner somewhere.
Fantasy in the Sky at 8.
SLEEP!
Tuesday:
Extra Magic hour at MGM (9).
Lunch at the Brown Derby.
Finish MGM by mid/late-afternoon.
Nap/Swim/Clean up.
Dinner back at CSR.
Fantasmic @ 8.
Wednesday:
Magic Kingdom Tomorrowland/Fantasyland/Frontierland (no BTTMR, so this should be EASY)
Monorail to Epcot.
Take swimsuit and DiveCard and store it in a locker at Epcot.
Future World @ Epcot (whatever we can get to).
Dive Quest from 4:30-7.
Back to Hotel to change.
Dinner at California Grille at 9:10.
Thursday:
Universal Studios (9:30-5:30).
Hotel to clean up/nap.
World Showcase for Dinner/Touring.
Friday:
Universal Studios Islands of Adventure all day (10-7).
Back to hotel to change/nap
Downtown Disney for Fultons and Pleasure Island
Saturday:
Sleep-in.
Finish Future World if we couldnt get to it all on Wed.
FREE TO DO WHATEVER. If making an itinerary is an art, then call me Picasso. Its Saturday afternoon and I managed not to be in a theme park. Im seriously a genius.
Disney Quest or ESPN the Zone to watch University of Texas/Tulane. Hook em Horns!
Illuminations Cruise at 8 at the Yacht Club Marina.
Pleasure Island
Sunday:
Animal Kingdom
Rainforest Café for Lunch.
Dinner at Shulas in the Dolphin at 7.
Monday: Leave early a.m. to go back to Austin
I have failed to mention the toughest part of the trip for fear that all the skeptics will beat me down and say that it cant be done. Ok, here it goes. I am attending a 3 day Festival in Austin (Austin City Limits Music Festival) the 3 days before we head out. We are actually flying out of Houston because it was a lot cheaper so well have to drive there from Austin (2.5 hours) after attending a concert all day long on Sunday. Yes, it will be hard, but we dont have a choice. I WONT miss seeing Ben Harper at ACL and he doesnt play until 5pm. Can it be done? Where will the energy come from? Only time will tell.
So there you have it. 7 nights, 2 Texans, and WDW!! Ill try to stay on the ball when returning home with my trip reports. I get so aggravated when I read an unfinished trip report. That means you A Pirate Turns 30! Finish it up, MATEY!! Strangely, our girlfriends have the same name, we both are the same age (were, YOURE 30 now!! Haha!)and we both are from Texas.
One last thing I have yet to be tagged by the tag fairy! WHERE ARE YOU?!? How does that whole thing work!?
Pre-Trip, 9/18
Dates: 9/22-9/29 Austin, TX to WDW
Coronado Springs Resort
Cast Members:
Chris ambitious planner, twenty-something (ok, 29, but that still counts)
Jill (girlfriend) recent college grad that has no idea whats in store for her. Newbie to everything WDW/Univeral
So here goes
We (read as I) have been planning this trip for the last 4 months. I ordered the vacation video at the beginning of summer and casually threw it in the DVD player for Jill to watch. Secretly, I knew its power. We got the adult-tailored version of the video because I didnt want her to think that the only thing to do when we got there was to visit Fantasyland and get autographs from people dressed up in costumes. We watched it and she immediately said Lets do it! So, I quickly ran to the bedroom and disrobed. I soon realized that she meant that she wanted to go to WDW. DOOOAH! Oh well, we were going to WDW!!
Being the geek that I am, I dashed to my pc and built a spreadsheet to see how we were going to be able to afford this trip. I wanted it to be completely paid for before we left and it was going to take some creative financial planning. By creative planning I mean that we would take turns pan-handling on busy street corners after work. Seriously though, I didnt want to go into debt to take the trip. Jills birthday was that next weekend so I made a birthday card for her and incorporated the Disney trip into it. Feel free to swoon if youre a woman and puke if youre not. A homemade b-day card?! Paah,leeese! Either way, it worked boy, did it work. In the card I explained that I would take care of all of the major expenses like hotel, tickets, car and airfare. We agreed to split the meals and spending cash.
I started a WDW fund and tossed every extra penny I had into it. I was able to pay off our airline tickets, the 7-night stay at Coronado Springs resort, and our park tickets in no time (Fairytale Package). Shortly thereafter, I rented a car and bought 5 day passes to Universal/IOA (internet special at universalstudios.com). With just under 2 months remaining, the bulk of the trip was paid for. Since then, we have both been saving like crazy so that we can afford to do a couple nicer meals while were there. Im not one for souvenirs and such, but you never know what else will come up.
For my birthday in August, Jill surprised me with a DiveQuest tour at the Living Seas in Epcot. Ok, so it wasnt such a surprise considering I spammed her for about two weeks straight with the link on how to make the reservation for it. I was SCUBA certified in college a couple of years back and this is going to be my first dive since my open water exam. Nervous?! Absolutely not.
Ive been tirelessly planning our trip from reading the DIS boards. They are an invaluable resource and I feel like out trip will be 200 times better because of them. We bought the Birnbaums guide and borrowed the Unofficial Guide from a neighbor. I have read most of both of them, and feel like they have prepared me for our adventure. Ill occasionally throw in the planning DVD to get as Jill excited, but shes never been, so she has NO IDEA what to expect. Her only comparison is Six Flags which is fun in its own right, but its no WDW. We sat down the other night and I asked her what her expectations were for the trip and they turned out to be a tad different than mine. Shes the type of person who likes to sleep in on vacation. I had to firmly explain the reasoning for getting to the park at 3am and being the first ones in the gates . Once shes up, shes fine, but its the getting up thats the hard part (note to self: pack bugle horn). She thinks that this is going to be like going to any old regular theme park and Ive kind of let her think that. She rarely picks up either of the guides at least from what I can tell. Shes pretty much going into this thing blind. If she didnt have me, she would be one of the many patrons who will get shoved out of the way because they stopped in the middle of Main St. USA to check out their park map. As a matter of fact, shes a pretty lucky girl!! Ill have to remind her of that.
My schedule is ambitious, but I think its achievable. Remember, it is September and Im hoping that the crowds are manageable. By manageable I mean non-existent. We also have youth on our side. I plan on 2 hours of sleep a night at most. Im going to be curious to see if we can get it all done. If not so be it. I had a lot of fun making it.
Monday:
Arrive at 2:00 at MCO. Pick up car and check in to Coronado Springs Resort.
Magic Kingdom by 5 p.m. to cover Adventureland/Liberty Square/Main St. USA. I opened a poll a couple of weeks ago and let the DISers vote on which ride we will ride first and I promised to hold true to their vote. They voted for Pirates of the Caribbean. With that said, we will be riding the Haunted Mansion first.
Counter Service Dinner somewhere.
Fantasy in the Sky at 8.
SLEEP!
Tuesday:
Extra Magic hour at MGM (9).
Lunch at the Brown Derby.
Finish MGM by mid/late-afternoon.
Nap/Swim/Clean up.
Dinner back at CSR.
Fantasmic @ 8.
Wednesday:
Magic Kingdom Tomorrowland/Fantasyland/Frontierland (no BTTMR, so this should be EASY)
Monorail to Epcot.
Take swimsuit and DiveCard and store it in a locker at Epcot.
Future World @ Epcot (whatever we can get to).
Dive Quest from 4:30-7.
Back to Hotel to change.
Dinner at California Grille at 9:10.
Thursday:
Universal Studios (9:30-5:30).
Hotel to clean up/nap.
World Showcase for Dinner/Touring.
Friday:
Universal Studios Islands of Adventure all day (10-7).
Back to hotel to change/nap
Downtown Disney for Fultons and Pleasure Island
Saturday:
Sleep-in.
Finish Future World if we couldnt get to it all on Wed.
FREE TO DO WHATEVER. If making an itinerary is an art, then call me Picasso. Its Saturday afternoon and I managed not to be in a theme park. Im seriously a genius.
Disney Quest or ESPN the Zone to watch University of Texas/Tulane. Hook em Horns!
Illuminations Cruise at 8 at the Yacht Club Marina.
Pleasure Island
Sunday:
Animal Kingdom
Rainforest Café for Lunch.
Dinner at Shulas in the Dolphin at 7.
Monday: Leave early a.m. to go back to Austin
I have failed to mention the toughest part of the trip for fear that all the skeptics will beat me down and say that it cant be done. Ok, here it goes. I am attending a 3 day Festival in Austin (Austin City Limits Music Festival) the 3 days before we head out. We are actually flying out of Houston because it was a lot cheaper so well have to drive there from Austin (2.5 hours) after attending a concert all day long on Sunday. Yes, it will be hard, but we dont have a choice. I WONT miss seeing Ben Harper at ACL and he doesnt play until 5pm. Can it be done? Where will the energy come from? Only time will tell.
So there you have it. 7 nights, 2 Texans, and WDW!! Ill try to stay on the ball when returning home with my trip reports. I get so aggravated when I read an unfinished trip report. That means you A Pirate Turns 30! Finish it up, MATEY!! Strangely, our girlfriends have the same name, we both are the same age (were, YOURE 30 now!! Haha!)and we both are from Texas.
One last thing I have yet to be tagged by the tag fairy! WHERE ARE YOU?!? How does that whole thing work!?
