Will this trip ever get off the ground? - Jan 2012 PTR - TOMORROW - 1/5!!!

[tankgirl427]

So, I went on a Labor Day trip with my BF which left me feeling unsatisfied at the end of the trip. Not so much because of Disney, but the company I was with. He didn't really start loosening up and enjoying himself until the last day and a half, and I was a little preoccupied trying to make everything perfect.

So this time around he's not going. Its myself, three of my friends and one BF of a friend. I started with this idea right after I got back and asked a few people if anyone was interested.

On Board for the Trip:

Myself - 32, mastermind of this plan.


b - I think she is the same age as me, we went to college together. She lives in Seattle

g - 33, lives in FL and is a former CM. He is a friend of someone b and I went to college with, who I'm not sure we're friends with now, but still friends with g.

j - 32, lives in KY. I met him through a group of No Doubt fans. I met him once when he came up for a concert. He doesn't know anyone else in the group, but is very easy going.


Labor Day was brutal, so I knew it should be a little later in Sept. or maybe Oct. j is a HUGE fan of Halloween. He decks his whole house inside and out for the holiday. His birthday is right around Halloween too. So I was thinking first off let's go the week of Halloween. But then j wanted to be home for Halloween and his birthday. Next suggestion, let's leave the Thursday before Columbus Day and take that whole week off! 10 Days of vacation with only 5 vacation days used! Everyone agreed that sounded great.

So then we get started talking about dining plans, staying at a value resort with two rooms since there are only four of us. Would we want to do the one night premium plan? When I tallied the prices j got a little jumpy and turned into I'm not sure I want to do this. In the meantime b told me that her BF wanted to go, so let's add:

b's BF - I've met him once. He seemed nice enough, until I found out why they broke up, but they are dating again.

to the mix. So in order to save money, I started looking into renting a off site house with three bedrooms minimum. j and g could share a room, right? they're guys. Well that helped the price a lot, but not enough to convince j yet. b has a time share option and I really didn't want to have to ask her to use it for our vacation. But she is now looking into it for seven days.

So that in a nut shell is how our ten day Halloween trip has turned into a possible seven day Columbus Day trip.

 

[tankgirl427]

Plans before 1/7/11
Busy Day today 1/7/11
Big News - Non Disney
Ongoing Search
Woohoo to Waaaaah!
Woohoo to Waaaaah to Woohoo! Part 2
We have a winner!.....
Two Trips, Two To-Dos
Major Shopping Trip #1
2nd Trip is Official!
SURPRISE?
Flight #1 Booked!
Flight #2 Booked!
Overdue update
OMG OMG OMG
October Plans
Disney Karma
January Preliminary Plans
January Change #1
Too early for a weekend
January ADRs
Added More ADRs
Whoops!
Trip #3 and #4
December 1/2 way there!
December All Set!
Off Topic
October Trip Update
October Update Part 2
Hiding Out
Storm Not so Good
Why I decided to take my cousin
Training Updates
Delta makes me sad
Flight Obsession
Yipeeeeeeeeeeee!
I'm confused!
Tye Dye Shirts
Shopping Trip!
30 Days until Trip #1!
October Plans Change Again......
BIG DAY!
Best Day EVER!
ONE WEEK!
Days!
Pulling my hair out!
TOMORROW!
Trip #1 Over!
TR for Trip #1 Announced!
Stuff for December
Halloween Decorations
Halloween Decorations - Part 2
December Plans
MVMCP
Surprise No More?
December Changes!
December Revisions - Take 1
January No Surprise
Bonus Photos #1!
Bonus Photos #2!
Single Digits & Bonus Photos #3!
Bonus Photos #4!
Surprise Happened
Bonus Photos #5!
Reveal Video
Bonus Photos #6!
Mickey Mail!
Bonus Photos #7!
Bonus Photos #8!
Bonus Photos #9!
Arrival Day Excitement!
Less than 2 weeks!
Last Double Digit Day!
ONE WEEK!
December TR Started!
Getting ready for January and Christmas
TOMORROW!

 

[tankgirl427]

#1 I'm going to have to ask the others if I can put photos of them on here.

So the plan is to head to MCO, stay somewhere, and then come back home a week later. I know I know real planned out.

But while there I want to get an annual pass, I'm planning on taking a quick trip to see the Christmas lights, then maybe a week long trip Feb of 2012, and a long weekend trip Labor Day 2012. Good use out of an annual pass right?

We're going to MNSSHP, we all want to dress up, but we have no idea as of what. And its F&W! Yum Yum food! I'm thinking about pre-ordering the PP CD again, so if we all spilt up and do different things we can have the photos. If we are offsite, we'll have to rent a second car. g will be driving up. Maybe just maybe I can convince everyone to go to one nice meal together?

 

[tankgirl427]

So today instead of doing work I spent most of the day messaging back and forth with b regarding this trip. It turns out that her timeshare might be able to get us into a DVC resort. So we are trying to get into that first, it might be difficult being that its now 9 months out, but hopefully we'll be able to. Otherwise we're going to book a offsite and figure out the best place for all of us to stay. I've done a lot of looking on the offsite orlando board and I have a list of three places that have availability.

If we can get DVC, it will be great cause we can do ME, and then all of us can decide whether or not to do DDP, which could be great with F&W and all those snacks. It would be amazing cause then we wouldn't need a second car, but we'd have a car so we could take Disney transportation or not.

Seriously how lucky am I to have a friend like b who wants to use her timeshare week to get a place for all of us to stay and be together and have fun!

Cross your fingers, she's calling after work today (which should be soon) to see what she can set up and get!

 

[tankgirl427]

So if you read my last TR you would find out I'm mighty unhappy at where I work. I really missed where I used to work and was let go due to the economy.

Well starting in Sept or Oct, I started getting phone calls from where I used to work and LOVED being. The first phone call was asking if I would consider going back to them, they might have a job with an open position for me. They will give me a call back in a couple weeks. A month goes by, I call and HR guy is on vacation, so I send him an email. The day he gets back from vacation he calls me and says here's where the job is. A week later I get another call saying who the client is, I"ll be working for. Two weeks go by (we're aroudn Thanksgiving at this time) job got restructured, we don't need you, a week later wait it was changed again we need you, come on it. I met with people I've known for 3 1/2 years while working there which was really nice to see them again. Then right after Christmas I was asked to meet the client, which I did last Monday. Finally on Friday I got a call!

They are making me an offer! I'm dead set about taking the offer. Its more money, more vacation time, better benefits, back in a 401K, and more possible advancement than I have now. The part I'm freaking out about is telling them I'm giving them my two weeks notice. Even though they aren't the best employers, I've never had to this do. Any advice? Secretly I'm like cause I'm leaving!

****UPDATE****
Okay, I finally got the boss and his son in a room and told them. They were not very happy. #1 cause I'm leaving and #2 I'm only giving them two weeks notice. They want me to stay until they hire someone and I can train them. Is there an eye rolling emoticon? oh yes there it is. I might be able to swing them three weeks, but I'm not staying longer than that. It took me so long to get both of them in the office, but not on the phone I was starting to get feeling. I was shaking and nervous the whole time I was telling them, but I feel better now that its over. Now I can just work on the kid who has been here for 8 months and still doesn't do things right to take over for me. But I'm out of here!

 

[tankgirl427]

So finally today we finally got an ongoing search with RCI for the DVC resorts that they partner with! Yipee! Now is we can get one it would be amazing. If not not too worried since there a loads of great places just outside the gate. So we'll just keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best. Is nine months out too late for requesting the ongoing search?

 

[wlake]

AAUUGGHH! How did you start a PTR without me realizing it!?! Better late than never, but I'm here now!

First of all, on the new job! I would have been nervous about quitting the other job too, especially since they seem a little strange. It's been about two weeks now, hasn't it? How did those last few days go?

I'm jealous of the new trip! It sounds like so much fun, even if you can't get into DVC. Hopefully you can, because the ME has got to be one of the best vacation inventions ever! (Spoken by someone who will be dragging her luggage, and no doubt her children's, off Amtrak onto the Metro and through the streets of DC before arriving at our hotel. If it's raining that day I may cry.)

Can't wait to hear more!

 

[tankgirl427]

AAUUGGHH! How did you start a PTR without me realizing it!?! Better late than never, but I'm here now!

First of all, on the new job! I would have been nervous about quitting the other job too, especially since they seem a little strange. It's been about two weeks now, hasn't it? How did those last few days go?

I'm jealous of the new trip! It sounds like so much fun, even if you can't get into DVC. Hopefully you can, because the ME has got to be one of the best vacation inventions ever! (Spoken by someone who will be dragging her luggage, and no doubt her children's, off Amtrak onto the Metro and through the streets of DC before arriving at our hotel. If it's raining that day I may cry.)

Can't wait to hear more!

Don't worry, you haven't missed anything yet. I just had to start because things were just getting to chaotic and this was my attempt to have it make some sense.

Last week at old work was fine, I got a couple free hot chocolates (I don't drink coffee) out of it & pizza on my last day (that was the Friday where we had the really bad snow in the morning but it stopped close to lunch time) Now I'm on day three of the new job, if you can call it a new job because its back with the company I was working for before the company I just left. I think I just confused myself there. A lot has changed and because I haven't been doing it everyday, somethings are a bit foggy to me still. There really isn't much for me to do yet.....

Maybe you can mail your stuff down to DC so it just magically shows up at the hotel?

Boy do I have a doozey of a report for you today!

 

[tankgirl427]

Today I got a message from my friend b who's timeshare we are going to use. She got a call from them that something matched our ongoing search!

Woohoo!

But both of us are at work and neither of us can find time or all the information to call in and find out what we've matched. I was very specific on the phone setting up the ongoing search. Only Disney resorts in FL.

So work's over and I head home in the snow again (augh!), get settled in to call and hear where we are going to stay, book my flight, etc. I call in and hear you're ongoing search has matches resort # Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort..... wait! what! No no no! I don't want that. That's not Orlando, hurry up and release it so I can move on to the next possibility.

Waaaaaaah!

So I talked to the customer service and asked very nicely to remove that one resort from the search because I only wanted resorts in FL with the name Disney, not any resort named Disney!

So after telling everyone we matched on something I get to feel all defeated because its not even for the right state!

 

[Joyciemc]

Okay, first of all- you are a No Doubt fan? How did I not know that??? I was completely obsessed with them in college. Still love them, but when a band doesn't tour, I gotta move on


Anyway, I will be anxiously reading to see how this trip goes! That is a total bummer about the 'match' with HHI!

Oh, and congrats on the job change! I hope it removes some unneeded stress from your life!

 

[annmarieda]

I am here! I knew you were planning a trip. I wasn't sure for when though. I am glad you started at PTR!!

Congrats on the new old job!

I hope you get the timeshare to work out with DVC. If not, there are lots of offsite locations. We have stayed at a place called Floridays. Very nice.. not too far of a drive either.

Very cool you are getting an AP! I love all the trips you have in the works. You will have to let me know if you go in December when I am going to be down there.

Can't wait to read all your plans

 

[chunkymonkey]

So excited for your October trip! I hope everything works out and you get the DVC resort! That would be awesome!

Congrats on the new-old job! It's so great to be working with people whom you know and like and of course the more vacation days, pay and benefits is just a plus, right? So happy for you!

Are you still with dbf? How does he feel about you going back to Disney...and without him? LOL I'm sure he wasn't crushed

Looking forward to hearing more about your trip!

 

[tankgirl427]

Okay, first of all- you are a No Doubt fan? How did I not know that??? I was completely obsessed with them in college. Still love them, but when a band doesn't tour, I gotta move on


Anyway, I will be anxiously reading to see how this trip goes! That is a total bummer about the 'match' with HHI!

Oh, and congrats on the job change! I hope it removes some unneeded stress from your life!

Yeah I'm a pretty big No Doubt fan, I have a few friends that might be a little more extreme than me. They still tour, although some times you have to wait a long time to see them. I'm already a lot less stressed and a lot happier!

I am here! I knew you were planning a trip. I wasn't sure for when though. I am glad you started at PTR!!

Congrats on the new old job!

I hope you get the timeshare to work out with DVC. If not, there are lots of offsite locations. We have stayed at a place called Floridays. Very nice.. not too far of a drive either.

Very cool you are getting an AP! I love all the trips you have in the works. You will have to let me know if you go in December when I am going to be down there.

Can't wait to read all your plans

We thought we'd try to get the DVC exchange, if not we have a few places off site we would like book as well. I have no idea when I want to go in December, so maybe I should look in to dropping in when you are around and give your hubby a break!

So excited for your October trip! I hope everything works out and you get the DVC resort! That would be awesome!

Congrats on the new-old job! It's so great to be working with people whom you know and like and of course the more vacation days, pay and benefits is just a plus, right? So happy for you!

Are you still with dbf? How does he feel about you going back to Disney...and without him? LOL I'm sure he wasn't crushed

Looking forward to hearing more about your trip!

I love reading about your trip with your sisters. BTW I can't wait for spring, I hope you plan another photo class soon after the snow goes away! BF and I are still together, we're working on things and at some points it seems a lot better. He took me to Disney on Ice - Princess Wishes for Christmas and Mary Poppins for Valentine's Day (so much for no Disney LOL) He does not care that I'm going to Disney without him. He says he has nine years before he has to go again (it will probably be less!)

 

[tankgirl427]

I got a message from my friend this weekend we got another match. I called in to find out what its with and found it was a 2 bedroom in...... Vero Beach. What part of Disney resorts in Walt Disney World do they not understand???

So I'm going to need to call them and get Vero Beach removed.

Then on Valentine's Day, BF got us tickets to see Mary Poppins in Boston this weekend. Last year we went and saw The Lion King at my insistence. I asked him if we going to have a meal beforehand and it turns out he made us reservations at the chocolate buffet!

I can't wait!

 

[wlake]

What part of Disney resorts in Walt Disney World do they not understand???

That is EXACTLY what I was thinking! Hopefully you'll get someone who understands this time. Maybe the last person had really, really bad geography skills?


Your weekend sounds great! Have fun!

 

[annmarieda]

Ugg... I hope you get a match soon.

A chocolate buffet??? MMMMM...

 

[tankgirl427]

That is EXACTLY what I was thinking! Hopefully you'll get someone who understands this time. Maybe the last person had really, really bad geography skills?


Your weekend sounds great! Have fun!

I still have yet to fix it. But I have the long weekend so maybe I'll call Sunday or Monday. I can't wait for tomorrow!

Ugg... I hope you get a match soon.

A chocolate buffet??? MMMMM...

It is so good. This will be my third year going there. Last year, I went with a girl's day with my mom, cousin, and aunt. I bought myself a DSLR camera for Christmas and now I can't decide whether to bring it, my point and shoot, or the Flip video camera BF got me for Christmas.

I do know I want to bring my Disney Mickey Balloon Dooney & Burke I made BF buy me for Christmas. I had him order it on Black Friday when the Disney Store was 25% off. I'll share some photos with you all when I get back!

 

[annmarieda]

I have no idea when I want to go in December, so maybe I should look in to dropping in when you are around and give your hubby a break!

YES! I foresee many a trip to the parks with just dd. Dh and ds will spend as much time at the resort as possible. It would be wonderful to have a dismeet to look forward to. Just let me know!

 

[tankgirl427]

So I was feeling all creative (by ripping off Su-Lynn's little tiger) so I took my Buzz Vinylmation with me to Boston and took all sorts of photos with Buzz on all the different things we did that weekend and the chocolate buffet and the crazy chocolate sculptures and realizing that I left my SD card in the DSLR I bought myself and still have to learn how to use.

So my photos are stuck on my camera until I can find my cord to pull them up to share them. On the plus side BF brought his camera and he took photos with Buzz and the desserts for me. What a good BF.

After asking my friend who owns the timeshare we are trying to find DVC with, we decided to expand to Bonnet Creek that everyone raves about. So I expanded the search yesterday and today we got a call with another match! So now I'm trying to get a hold of everyone to let them know where we stand, and no one will call me back!

 

[annmarieda]

So do you know what your match is???