Will They Stay or Will They Go? A Pre-Trip Report Updated: We're Going!

[resol37]

I must warn you now. This PTR may go nowhere.

*sigh*

It started months ago, really. My boyfriend (aka Macro) told me he had never been to WDW in all his 26 years (a travesty!) I haven't been to WDW since last October and I'm starting to get the shakes. Withdrawal symptoms are never fun, y'know? So on the car ride home from picking him up at the airport one weekend, I popped the question that I had been mulling over for the past week while he had been out of the state for work.

"Can we go to Disney World?"

He said yes...making me the happiest girl in the world. Until we started talking money.

See, that week out of state was the last solid work he's had for awhile. Mac works IT contracts and though he was doing really well for awhile, jobs have been few and far between. Originally we were going to finance this trip with plain ol' saving but after awhile it became clear that it just wasn't in the cards.

So then we said, why not put it on one of my credit cards (at this point in the story I have two)? I'm young, I have a steady job, I can afford some credit card debt if it gets me a Dole Whip. Totally worth it, right?

And then came my dental surgery. Had to have a molar and a wisdom tooth removed and the credit card that I was planning on using for Disney was the only account with a big enough balance to get those blasted teeth out of my head.

So for awhile we thought the trip was not to be.

And then my dad suggested that I apply for a third credit card, make sure it has no yearly balance and 0% interest for the first 12 months, put the trip on that and then make sure I pay it off within a year. Less than two weeks later I got an offer for a Disney Visa in the mail. Sold! Ka-ching, we are goin' to Disney!

Um...maybe.

The really super great news is that Macro got an interview for a great job in his field (IT) that would pay well, provide a company car, laptop, credit card (for gas and vehicle maintenance) and a pda. Basically, it would allow me to start getting regular pedicures again. Yippee!

Technically he doesn't have the job yet. Interview's done, drug test is done, background check is done. Everything is looking very good.

Except we don't know if he'll be able to take off work for the trip. Which makes me cry a little inside. Okay, on the outside too.

We're still making plans, but...this PTR may bear no fruit. I guess we'll just have to wait around and see.

But! So far the (hopeful) plans are:

Tuesday, November 4
Travel (We'll be driving from Charlotte, NC. Most likely be leaving around 7 am as I get off work at 6:30 am [I work nights]). We'll be staying for five nights at Pop Century. I have already reserved our room with my Disney Visa (room only, we'll buy tickets once we get there or possibly get my dad, who is retired Air Force, to buy them beforehand at a base so we get a discount). We will check in, we will unpack, we will chill in the room. We will look around Pop. We may go to Downtown Disney so I can sniff stuff at Basin.

Ack! My lunchbreak is over and I don't have internet access at my desk. To be continued! (I'll keep writing this in Word and then cut and paste later.)

 

[resol37]

Word is not playing nice. It didn’t want to come up for a couple of minutes and I may have lost my train of thought. Where was I? Ah…

Edit: I actually forgot a few things above. Even though this will be my eighth trip to WDW, it will be my first time staying at a Disney Resort. Since my dad is retired Air Force we have always stayed at Shades of Green which, if you don’t know, is a military owned resort on Disney property over by the Poly. So I’m super excited about staying at Pop. This will also be my first trip to Disney without family as well as my first vacation with Macro. So…all the makings for a disaster, yes?

Anyway…

Wednesday, November 5: Disney’s Animal Kingdom
I have a general outline for the day as far as rides (for all four days, actually. I figure I’ve been to WDW enough times to know what I’m doing so I’m not going to be as commando as in past trips). No pre-determined decisions as for food (we’ll have breakfast at Everything Pop before we catch the bus). We’ll do Downtown Disney in the evening if we weren’t able to make it there the night before. If we were, we’ll either chill/swim at the hotel or go back to DTD anyway. I’m considering making an ADR for the House of Blues for this night.

Thursday, November 6: Disney Hollywood Studios
We have a lunch ADR for Hollywood Brown Derby on this day. It’s a family tradition to go to HBD for lunch and for me to get the Cobb salad and grapefruit cake. I will not mess with tradition. We’ll try to get out of the park for a break today and then return for Fantasmic at 7 pm.

Friday, November 7: Magic Kingdom
Our first stop will definitely be Main Street Bakery for breakfast. I know it’s a commando sin to eat breakfast in the park instead of running straight for a mountain, but MK will be open until 11 pm this day so I intend to take the day at a semi-normal pace. Plus I really want some french toast loaf. Also have an early dinner ADR at Kona Café at the Poly for this day. I adore the Poly (it’s my dream hotel) and I figured we could just take the monorail over and back. Don’t know if we’ll fit a rest break into this day, but we’ll roll with it and see what happens. I plan to be back in the park well before the 8 pm SpectroMagic (they’ll also have a 10 pm this night) for that as well as Wishes at 9 pm.

Saturday, November 8: Epcot
Catching the Food and Wine Festival just before it ends. I love the F&WF so I planned on taking this trip during it. Originally I pushed it all the way back to the end because I figured that’d give us more time to save money. Now, I’d prefer to go a little earlier but I already had my vacation days approved at work and didn’t want to tempt fate. But I digress. We may be doing the Segway Around the World tour this morning, but we haven’t decided if we want to spend the money, yet. Last day…so sad!

Sunday, November 9
Travel back home. And cry. A lot.

So them’s the plans. Now for a little about us.

Edit: But wait! There’s more! Things which make resol a sad girl include: Our trip will be right in line with Jersey Week. I am worried about crowds. Also, Macro has foot problems. We’re not quite sure what they are as he does not currently have health insurance but suffice it to say, his feet hurt after about half an hour of walking or standing. We may be renting an ECV for him. I am not happy about this development at all. *pouts*

And now back to your regularly scheduled introductions:

I’m resol (which is “loser” backwards if you hadn’t picked up on that). The 37 is silent, thank you. I’m 25 years old and have been in love with Disney World since my first trip in 1996 when I was 13 years old. I decided then and there that I wanted to work for Disney someday. And I did in the spring of 2004 as part of the WDW College Program. I worked Operations/Attractions at the (then) Disney-MGM Studios, assigned to the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Playground and the Disney-MGM Studios Backlot Tour. Hated HISK, loved Backlot. For the past four years I’ve been working for the City of Charlotte in their customer service department. We’re a 311 call center. We handle non-emergency police, animal control, water and sewer services, department of transportation, solid waste (garbage pickup), neighborhood development (code enforcement), land use and environmental services, park and recreation and county tax services. But I work nights (we’re open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year) so it’s pretty much just noise complaints, tow calls and crazy and/or drunk people. And a lot of iPod solitaire and word searches.

Macro is my boyfriend. His name comes from World of Warcraft. He plays almost every day, super addicted. His actual character name is Macrobius, but Macro or Mac for short. (On the Sentinels server if you want to look him up. He’s a level 70 pally and I have a level 21 priest named Gwyne, but I’m rarely on – gaming’s not really my thing.) He’s 26, originally from Detroit, MI. He moved to Charlotte just over a year ago because of the poor economy in Michigan and we met on-line last winter and have been dating since Jan. 19. He’s a huge WoW fan (as noted above) and a Trekker (not a Trekkie – there’s a difference!). I also got him into Heroes and The Office. He is a huge geek. We’ve had our share of problems in our relationship (mostly due to some issues I have, but I’m in therapy and on anti-depression/anxiety meds so things are looking bright and shiny now!), but we just had our eight month anniversary and we’re making things work. He loves thrill rides, but hates musicals. We’re going to FotLK anyway. He loves me, he’ll put up with it.

Picture time!

So that’s us. I’ll try to keep this updated on Mac’s job status, my job status (I didn’t mention it, but I’m up for a promotion at work that would require me to move to a day shift so I’m on the fence – I love my night shift so much it hurts), stuff that I buy in preparation for the trip, etc. I’m also planning on posting some pictures from previous Disney trips because everybody loves to look at pictures, right? Right.

Only 43 days left!

Welcome!

 

[resol37]

Well, we still don't know yet. Two and a half weeks and counting. Mac just called me from work (see the updates below) to say that the out of state training that we thought would coincide with our trip will actually be a month after our trip. But we stil have to get official word from The Powers That Be as to whether or not he can have the time off. But it's looking good in general so even though I should be sleeping...I am updating. I'm too excited to sleep!

Updates​

-Macro got his job. It pays less than we thought it would, but it's still two incomes instead of just mine by its lonely self. Plus it's a real job, not a contract and it comes with insurance!

-I did not get my promotion and things are getting tougher at work (it's a generally frustrating job. I won't go into it as I don't want to bore any of my readers before I even get to the nine hour car drive from NC to FL).

-I have made a reservation for Boma on the evening of November 5th. I've wanted to eat at Boma for a long time and have never gotten around to it. I've been reading Code and Lease's TR (to be linked later because I'm feeling lazy right now) and their pictures from Boma made my brain say, "Screw it! We can afford three TS meals if we live on waffles and canned spaghetti for the next two and a half weeks!".

-Mac is going to try to get a cortisone injection (to be paid for out of pocket since insurance hasn't kicked in yet) for his planter's fasciitis. (I hate incorrect grammar and spelling, yet currently have no desire to check on that one. Again...too excited!)

So, didn't do any of the things I said I would in my last post, did I? So far the only things I've purchased for the trip are a pair of Croc Capris in black/black (I wanted the white/celery, but couldn't find them anywhere and the website was sold out of my size)

and a teal halter dress from Old Navy.

As soon as we hear a yes, I will be purchasing a strapless bra, and skintight shorts to wear with the dress for our MK day. Yes, I know about BodyGlide, but it's gonna take a much thicker barrier than BodyGlide to keep these thighs from chafin'! Also need to buy a PassPorter and pick up some LGMHs from Home Depot. Hmm...unscented sunblock, too. But I think that's pretty much it for me. I'm generally a light packer within the parks. Sunglasses, regular glasses, park pass, money, cell phone and lip balm.

Mac? Well he's kind of on his own. Sure it sounds mean, but I'll make sure he doesn't bring along uncomfy shoes or anything that would just be ridiculous. Like a month's supply of Mountain Dew. (Did I forget to tell him that Disney is Pepsi-free and he'll be without his life force? Oops.)

Planned to post some pictures from previous family trips but photobucket is being uncooperative at the moment.

 

[resol37]

It's official, we're going to Disney World! In...18 days! Holy crap, there's a lot to do!

 

[resol37]

Two weeks left. Only two weekends in which to accomplish things. And we also have to fit in a trip to the RenFest and a Halloween party that we've already committed to. And I'm going to try to hit Charlotte's Homearama with my mom depending on her schedule. But now...lists!

To pack:
Underwear (five pair)
Bras (two - strapless, regular)
Shoes (three pair - sneakers, regular Crocs, flip flop Crocs)
Jeans
Denim capris
Black gaucho pants
Shirts (four)
Halter dress
Shorts (to wear under halter dress)
Snacks
Bottled Water
Mountain Dew

To buy:
Strapless bra
Shorts (to wear under halter dress)
PassPorter
Tote bag
Glow stuff
Snacks
Bottled Water
Mountain Dew
Unscented sunblock
LGMHs (buy, steal...whatever)

To do:
Haircut (just a trim)
Pedicure
Clean out car
Take Sophie (our cat) down to parents' house
Pick up Judy (my parents' Garmin GPS...get it? Judy Garmin)
Pay bills
Wash pins

Now let's do it by date! Wooo!

Mon, Oct 20: Clean house, organize/pay bills. Yes, this was all done yesterday. The only bills that need to be paid between now and our trip are the power bill and rent which are due on the 31st and the 1st respectively.

Tue, Oct 21: Buy groceries.

Wed, Oct 22: Find luggage, organize clothes to be packed (already clean vs. need to be cleaned),

Thu, Oct 23: Nothing specific assigned yet.

Fri, Oct 24: Shop for shorts, strapless bra, PassPorter, etc.

Sat, Oct 25: RenFest.

Sun, Oct 26: Possible Homearama, get Judy and cat carrier from parents' house.

Mon, Oct 27: Nothing specific assigned yet.

Tue, Oct 28: Nothing specific assigned yet.

Wed, Oct 29: Nothing specific assigned yet.

Thu, Oct 30: Therapy session.

Fri, Oct 31: Halloween party.

Sat, Nov 1: Launder any and all clothes to be packed, shopping for trip snacks, etc.

Sun, Nov 2: Clean car out, pedicure, haircut, pack.

Mon, Nov 3: Take Sophie down to parents' house, pack car.

Tue, Nov 4: Leave!