(UPDT: 2/21) Losing The Glass Slippers to RUN like a Princess! Serial-PTRer report!

[Pixiedust530]

GO BIG OR GO HOME!!!! That's just an AMAZING 1st tattoo. Your tattoo artist is phenomenal. He/She did an amazing job.

And way to go on the 4 mile run!!! that's more than I could do! Keep up the hard work.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

GO BIG OR GO HOME!!!! That's just an AMAZING 1st tattoo. Your tattoo artist is phenomenal. He/She did an amazing job.

And way to go on the 4 mile run!!! that's more than I could do! Keep up the hard work.

Thanks! I really like it, it was a bizarre shift to go from just the black (that I've gotten used to in the past 3 weeks) to the color, but I really love it and can't wait until it's all healed up! I'm not sure I'll go big again though, it was pretty painful this 2nd session! My son says I'll forget all about that in a week or so!

 

[Tinker326]

I am so in. Of course!

And still so debating crashing into you at the Princess next year!

Way to go on 4 miles- coming from someone who has to work hard to get that milage as well, I KNOW what a great accomplishment each and every mile is. I have yet, in my life, to get past 4.5 miles. That 13.1 seems so, so hard to me.......... still........

And LOVE the color on the tat! Awesome!

So here we go! Three hundred and some odd days till next trip. Woo.

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

I loved your tattoo just in black, I can’t believe that it is even more beautiful with the color added! You must be very happy with it!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

I am so in. Of course!

And still so debating crashing into you at the Princess next year!

Way to go on 4 miles- coming from someone who has to work hard to get that milage as well, I KNOW what a great accomplishment each and every mile is. I have yet, in my life, to get past 4.5 miles. That 13.1 seems so, so hard to me.......... still........

And LOVE the color on the tat! Awesome!

So here we go! Three hundred and some odd days till next trip. Woo.

Ooooh, be careful what you say to me! If you get me thinking there's even a chance, I'll be a total Princess-pusher! I'll be relentless! You won't be able to refuse!

I loved your tattoo just in black, I can’t believe that it is even more beautiful with the color added! You must be very happy with it!

Thanks Erin! I'm really loving it. I loved the B&W as well, so it was almost like saying goodbye to that and then getting something all new! I love the color though, and I'm a colorful person, so it's perfect for me!

 

[Victoriasmom98]

Ok, I'm late to the party, but I'm here. I haven't even finished your Mom & Daughter trip yet........

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Ok, I'm late to the party, but I'm here. I haven't even finished your Mom & Daughter trip yet........

You have an excuse since you were in Orlando!!!!!! Cannot wait to hear more about your trip, DTD, fireworks from the Poly...

 

[Tinker326]

Ooooh, be careful what you say to me! If you get me thinking there's even a chance, I'll be a total Princess-pusher! I'll be relentless! You won't be able to refuse!


Hahaha, here's a little hint. It does not take much to push me into any trip- especially Disney. If I honestly make it to 13.1 miles by November, you can bet I'll be eyeballin' the Princess. My only downfall really is work- I work crazy busy hours late December-late Feburary. Well ok. Let's be honest. My TWO downfalls is work and the fact that I'm nowhere near 13.1 yet.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

The WHERE?:

Well, I haven't posted the WHERE because I'm not sure!

It's not a matter of where I WANT to stay, I know that. It's a matter of money.

When Rey & I took our 3 night Anniversary trip and rented points at Animal Kingdom Lodge last November, I knew I was in trouble the moment we arrived. I had been to AKL for meals but staying there was a whole other ballgame. I was totally smitten!

To make matters worse, one of the MAIN things I loved was the savanna view.

This totally changed my Disney experience. I LOVE animals but I didn't give the savanna much thought, but once I got out on that balcony, I was stuck like glue. We watched the animals each day in the morning, during the afternoon when we took a break, and at night when we returned. We had cocktails and relaxed...Ah...I could even see EE from our balcony! Total.love.

When we were there, we discussed taking the kids back and how much all of them would love it for different reasons. Dylan-because it's a nicer resort with all the amenities. Dallas-the culinary tours/food. Savannah-well, the animals, naturally!

So, not only do I want to stay at a Deluxe, but I want the most expensive view!

Oh and that pool!

This would be the PERFECT resort for us this trip. I can relax a little after running the Half, I can soak in the hot tub and have drinks by the pool...

only one problem. We need TWO rooms! There are 6 of us, and getting two rooms is the cheapest of the options, if you can believe that. The only way we could afford this is to rent points. No problem! Renting points is about the same price as 2 rooms at a mod. There IS a problem though. When our 7 month window opens for reservations, I would have to have ALL the money to pay upfront for the room. That's how renting works. I'm pretty sure there's no way I can come up with that kind of money that fast.

It's so much easier to pay a bit at a time to Disney, but it would be over $1000 more to pay them directly instead of renting points.

I have gone over about every scenario I can think of:

-staying at Pop for 2 nights and then AKL just for 3 nights.
-staying at Pop the whole time instead (blech...Savannah loves Pop, but I'm a bit tired of it)
-staying at a mod instead...this is a contender, but I so so so wanted to take the boys to AKL before they start college and most likely won't be able to come on anymore of these trips.
-offsite is not an option
-rob a bank.



Staying split probably won't work because I think we will be doing the dining plan and I think that would be a big mess. I will likely get my tickets through runDisney (we get a discount) and so I wouldn't be able to get the dining plan at Pop without buying a whole package.

See why I have procrastinated posting?

Regardless, we will be there, my training is going really well and I'm more and more excited every day! We may end up at Pop though, or another Value (although I think Rey would insist on Pop b/c of their fantastic "Commissary")

Any words of wisdom? I think I will just try to save and when the time comes I will have to see if I have enough. I KNOW I will have enough by the end of the summer (summer is my business' busy time) but by the end of summer there may not be 2 rooms to rent at AKL.

 

[Colleen27]

Wow, your tattoo is really beautiful with the color!

I can sympathize on the resort love. I have yet to get back to the Beach Club. I love it, but the budget and the desire not to pack all 5 of us into a standard hotel room keep getting in the way of my best intentions to go back. And to make matters worse it is one of those places where you really need to have your ducks in a row 11 months out if you hope to rent points there, and of course I'm never that together.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Wow, your tattoo is really beautiful with the color!

I can sympathize on the resort love. I have yet to get back to the Beach Club. I love it, but the budget and the desire not to pack all 5 of us into a standard hotel room keep getting in the way of my best intentions to go back. And to make matters worse it is one of those places where you really need to have your ducks in a row 11 months out if you hope to rent points there, and of course I'm never that together.

Thanks!

The only thing going for me is that AKL is usually one of the last (with SSR) to sell out, but since it's the Princess Half weekend, I'm guessing it will fill up faster. If the dining wasn't an issue, I would be ok with a split stay, even, to make it cheaper.

 

[Riles_and_Gabe]

That is a tough one. I wish I had some great words of wisdom for you but I've got nothing. I am sure wherever you stay will be wonderful!!

 

[Tinker326]

I hope you can swing AKL! Fingers crossed for you that maybe it will work out.

Do you have any savings that you could borrow from & make payments weekly back into? That's what we did to get ours............ or can you sell anything on EBAY? Garage sale? Um..... what about those surveys that pay you? Not sure how they work, but I know there are lots on the budget boards that talk about them..........

Could you sell a kidney? Ok. Kidding.

Fingers crossed for that AKL for you though!!!!

 

[Pixiedust530]

Oh Karen...I totally know how you feel about renting points and the money. I ran into the same thing with our trip. I had to wait until I got my tax returns back and then I was left scrambling for a room. Okay...maybe not scrambling, but I still couldn't add a day like I wanted to because there was no availability on that extra day.

I really don't have any great suggestions...except maybe the rob a bank option! OK...just kidding...don't do that! Maybe you will get some magical pixiedust and things will just fall into place. You are right that AKL usually has availability longer than most resorts. Maybe things will just work out for you! I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[madsmom22]

I just found your mother/daughter trip report by accident today because I was searching for trip reports with "dance" in them. My 13 yr old daughter and I are going to Disney and staying at Port Orleans Riverside for 3 nights this May with kids from her dance school. They are doing the Disney Performing Arts dance program. We are VERY excited to get to go back since we went on our 3rd family trip last November! (although my 16 yr old daughter is jealous! - but she would miss her prom if she went!)
So since your trip report is titled "Everybody Dance Now" I started reading it and I've decided I think we would be friends if we lived close!

I too am a runner. There! I said it! I actually just completed my first half-marathon in my hometown on March 3rd! It was exhilirating! 18 months ago, I couldn't run 1 mile and now I've done 13.1!!!

And my next goal is to run a Disney Half Marathon! I'd love to do the Princess Half! Don't think I will make it in 2014 but hopefully by 2015!
My hubby and I ran the Mickey's Jingle Jungle 5K in November - I wasn't ready to do the Wine & Dine Half so we did the 5K the day before. Racing at Disney is just awesome!

I can't wait to keep reading your blog and keeping up with your pre-trip report!

Oh, AND I am on Weight Watchers and have been less than 10 pounds from my goal weight for a year now. When I do reach goal and become Lifetime, I am getting my first tattoo! - hopefully before I turn 50 in 2 1/2 years!

(and you can tell by this post I ramble too! See - we could be such good friends! LOL)

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

That is a tough one. I wish I had some great words of wisdom for you but I've got nothing. I am sure wherever you stay will be wonderful!!

It's DISNEY, after all, it doesn't really matter where we stay, I'll be happy!

I hope you can swing AKL! Fingers crossed for you that maybe it will work out.

Do you have any savings that you could borrow from & make payments weekly back into? That's what we did to get ours............ or can you sell anything on EBAY? Garage sale? Um..... what about those surveys that pay you? Not sure how they work, but I know there are lots on the budget boards that talk about them..........

Could you sell a kidney? Ok. Kidding.

Fingers crossed for that AKL for you though!!!!

I'm keeping my fingers crossed too, if I don't make the money in time for AKL to book, then it wasn't meant to be, right?

Oh Karen...I totally know how you feel about renting points and the money. I ran into the same thing with our trip. I had to wait until I got my tax returns back and then I was left scrambling for a room. Okay...maybe not scrambling, but I still couldn't add a day like I wanted to because there was no availability on that extra day.

I really don't have any great suggestions...except maybe the rob a bank option! OK...just kidding...don't do that! Maybe you will get some magical pixiedust and things will just fall into place. You are right that AKL usually has availability longer than most resorts. Maybe things will just work out for you! I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I think we'll be happy wherever we stay, if AKL sells out, we'll do Coronado...I don't mind staying there, but it will be about the same PRICE as renting points at AKL, so it seems like a waste. Who knows, maybe there will still be openings at the end of the summer when I have it together.

I just found your mother/daughter trip report by accident today because I was searching for trip reports with "dance" in them. My 13 yr old daughter and I are going to Disney and staying at Port Orleans Riverside for 3 nights this May with kids from her dance school. They are doing the Disney Performing Arts dance program. We are VERY excited to get to go back since we went on our 3rd family trip last November! (although my 16 yr old daughter is jealous! - but she would miss her prom if she went!)
So since your trip report is titled "Everybody Dance Now" I started reading it and I've decided I think we would be friends if we lived close!

I too am a runner. There! I said it! I actually just completed my first half-marathon in my hometown on March 3rd! It was exhilirating! 18 months ago, I couldn't run 1 mile and now I've done 13.1!!!

And my next goal is to run a Disney Half Marathon! I'd love to do the Princess Half! Don't think I will make it in 2014 but hopefully by 2015!
My hubby and I ran the Mickey's Jingle Jungle 5K in November - I wasn't ready to do the Wine & Dine Half so we did the 5K the day before. Racing at Disney is just awesome!

I can't wait to keep reading your blog and keeping up with your pre-trip report!

Oh, AND I am on Weight Watchers and have been less than 10 pounds from my goal weight for a year now. When I do reach goal and become Lifetime, I am getting my first tattoo! - hopefully before I turn 50 in 2 1/2 years!

(and you can tell by this post I ramble too! See - we could be such good friends! LOL)

TWINKIES!!! Love when I run across someone with so many things in common! I want to hear all about your races! I'm in total training mode right now, so running is all I'm thinking about!

I can't wait to hear about your trip with your daughter! We had so much fun on our solo trip. AND you want a tattoo! WOOT! I'm glad you found me.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Update!

Guess what??!?!?!?!?!!!!..........







































I have nothing to update.

I know, this is completely unlike me, if you have followed any of my PTR's in the past, you know that by now (10+ months out) I usually have all my ADR's picked, park days settled on, and huge countdown chain strung all around the house!

Well, apparently I cannot obsess about two things at once and so my TRAINING has taken over my Disney obsession. It's almost scary, but I have faith in Disney and I know that as soon as the WHERE is worked out, I'll have all the other plans in place as well. It's just too hard to pick our ADR's when I'm unsure of which resort we'll be at. Park days will be different depending on that as well. Besides, the training is for a race AT DISNEY, so I have to get back around to it eventually!

The real focus right now is training for the race! I'm early starting my training, most will start in the fall, but I really wanted a good running base before I ran the Princess, especially since I want to make sure I'm injury free.

I've been running and cross training and Spring has arrived here! How about where you are? Has it warmed up?

I don't even have any photography to share with you. I have been taking oodles of camera phone snapshots for my blog, which is actually pretty freeing to me, not having to worry so much about my photos being perfect. If you really want to follow me, subscribe to my blog b/c that is where I'm chatting it up every day! (link is in my signature!)

This seems too empty without a photo, so I'll post one of me in my "race gear" before a virtual 5K I did with my son a couple weeks ago.

 

[lisaviolet]

I just so wish I wasn't strapped right now Karen - points from this UY and money (needing to rent more upfront for funds I mean). I would rent you the points in an instant in the way you need them. LKDSfjldaskjfdklfjdsklfjd. I better stop the key banging. I really do need my computer.

DKLfjladskfjdslakfjadskf. So frustrated. And I have no clue why I'm laughing about that!!!! Oh well, what can you do but laugh?

Off to the blog to catch up.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

I just so wish I wasn't strapped right now Karen - points from this UY and money (needing to rent more upfront for funds I mean). I would rent you the points in an instant in the way you need them. LKDSfjldaskjfdklfjdsklfjd. I better stop the key banging. I really do need my computer.

DKLfjladskfjdslakfjadskf. So frustrated. And I have no clue why I'm laughing about that!!!! Oh well, what can you do but laugh?

Off to the blog to catch up.

Hello my-Lisa! I'm so glad you finally made it to the present and out of my TR!

I hadn't even thought about you having points. If you rented them to others though, then how do YOU get to go to WDW next year?!!! That won't do!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]