zigzagzerr
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2006
- Messages
- 519
Pre trippie report
Once upon a time there lived a beautiful princess ..well, maybe thats from a different story.
Anyway, once upon a time there lived a nearing 40 mommy who enjoyed acting like a little kid on her summer vacations
Lets set the stage (shall we?).
We had planned (well actually we hadnt planned it, it had been planned FOR us) an absolutely insane couple of weekends in May 2007. My baby (38) brother was finally getting married, and my husband, daughter and I were all included in the wedding party. This was not as great as it sounds. Dont get me wrong I was thrilled, delighted even, that baby bro was finding happiness. That part was awesome.
Not so great issue #1 they were getting married on a Saturday in Mexico. Now you may have noted that we live in Baltimore very much the opposite side of the country. And that the school year would not be over yet by that date. This would all have been overcome, we wouldve sucked it up and just taken DD out of school for a few days in order to enjoy the time.
Except for problem #2 the following weekend (Thursday-Sunday) we would be with DDs girl scout troop on a trip to Savannah, Georgia. The Mecca of Girl Scouts, in case you were wondering. And the troop had been planning this trip for YEARS, saving their cookie money, in anticipation of bridging (ceremony to move up to the next level of scouting) at the Juliet Lowe House in Savannah. So DD would have been absolutely crushed to miss this trip, which she had earned the money for herself.
Thus the dilemma.
And the unfortunate gameplan:
Part 1
On Friday morning, fly out of BWI to San Diego (at the lovely 6:30 am hour). My parents will pick us up at the airport and well drive down to Mexico together. Luckily were staying at the hotel where the wedding will take place. Rehearsal dinner Friday night, wedding Saturday afternoon, back to the airport on Sunday to fly home. (6 hour flight each way, joy of joys)
Part 2
The next Thursday afternoon, get kids out of school a bit early, catch a flight out of BWI to Charlotte, connection to Savannah, shuttle to hotel. Bridging ceremony on Friday, free day of sightseeing in Saturday, back to the airport Sunday to fly home.
I was a bit woozy just thinking about it.
But as all you parents out there know, thats the way it goes sometimes.
However, in the course of planning all this May travel, I made a decision. We would be sick to death of flying after all this was said and done, and so .any vacation we took during the summer was going to be a ROADTRIP! Final, amen, so be it. I think.
Once upon a time there lived a beautiful princess ..well, maybe thats from a different story.
Anyway, once upon a time there lived a nearing 40 mommy who enjoyed acting like a little kid on her summer vacations
Lets set the stage (shall we?).
We had planned (well actually we hadnt planned it, it had been planned FOR us) an absolutely insane couple of weekends in May 2007. My baby (38) brother was finally getting married, and my husband, daughter and I were all included in the wedding party. This was not as great as it sounds. Dont get me wrong I was thrilled, delighted even, that baby bro was finding happiness. That part was awesome. Not so great issue #1 they were getting married on a Saturday in Mexico. Now you may have noted that we live in Baltimore very much the opposite side of the country. And that the school year would not be over yet by that date. This would all have been overcome, we wouldve sucked it up and just taken DD out of school for a few days in order to enjoy the time.
Except for problem #2 the following weekend (Thursday-Sunday) we would be with DDs girl scout troop on a trip to Savannah, Georgia. The Mecca of Girl Scouts, in case you were wondering. And the troop had been planning this trip for YEARS, saving their cookie money, in anticipation of bridging (ceremony to move up to the next level of scouting) at the Juliet Lowe House in Savannah. So DD would have been absolutely crushed to miss this trip, which she had earned the money for herself.
Thus the dilemma.
And the unfortunate gameplan:
Part 1
On Friday morning, fly out of BWI to San Diego (at the lovely 6:30 am hour). My parents will pick us up at the airport and well drive down to Mexico together. Luckily were staying at the hotel where the wedding will take place. Rehearsal dinner Friday night, wedding Saturday afternoon, back to the airport on Sunday to fly home. (6 hour flight each way, joy of joys)
Part 2
The next Thursday afternoon, get kids out of school a bit early, catch a flight out of BWI to Charlotte, connection to Savannah, shuttle to hotel. Bridging ceremony on Friday, free day of sightseeing in Saturday, back to the airport Sunday to fly home.
I was a bit woozy just thinking about it.
But as all you parents out there know, thats the way it goes sometimes.However, in the course of planning all this May travel, I made a decision. We would be sick to death of flying after all this was said and done, and so .any vacation we took during the summer was going to be a ROADTRIP! Final, amen, so be it. I think.
had made the momentous decision that our summer vacation was going to be somewhere we could drive to, we started looking at our options.
One of my very favorite places Walt Disney World. We have been to Disney about 6 times now (including two times last summer, thanks to a last minute decision to try the free dining in August). Were mostly an offsite crowd, because competition for your business in Orlando is pretty fierce, and you can generally find amazing places to stay at reasonable rates. But as I mentioned before, we went last August with the free dining, and stayed onsite for the first time (although we did stay 2 nights at Wilderness Lodge one year, we had never stayed the full vacation with Disney before). We were frugal-minded so stayed at the All Star Sports. We had a complete blast with the Dining Plan, and the All Star wasnt bad. It wasnt as nice as most other Orlando hotels weve visited, but I dont think its supposed to be, thats not the intention. The idea is that even the budget minded can stay onsite at Disney, and it fulfills that purpose just fine, in my opinion.
Okay, its an extra $400 for the week what do we think? Well, we dont really need it, but hub decides hed be happier at Port Orleans. So, alas (hee hee hee) I had to give in to his wishes noting the importance of compromise in a marriage. 
) I went out on the Southwest website. Guess what? I could get airfare for $69 each way. I started polling the troops. Actually, I said you know, guys, I was looking at airfares and
.., and they all in unison screamed oh god, please lets fly!!!!!. Hmmph
.in truth, I had kinda been looking forward to the roadtrip. But we decided, maybe next summer, well road trip it north instead of south, and visit New York City, Cooperstown and around there. Probably more to see anyway. I hear I-95 south to Florida aint too exciting (except for Pablo). So I found myself putting out more green stuff for airfare and then also making rental car reservations got a fairly good deal through Mousesavers with Budget Rental Car (I just cant wait for buses at Disney its a sickness).
We like to take our vacations the week before school starts. We got free dining last year, which was pretty nifty. As I say, I think this will be the last time for a little while.
lime green shirts, and I dont quite yet. But I will soon, I promise
Your DD is beautiful.
