Confessions of a WDW Addict (Pre-Trip Report) - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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There are other changes as well.
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To a new day, we go on.
It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
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I am 104 days out and thought that a great time to start a pre-trip report. We are scheduled to June 8-15, 2014. It will be just the wife and I -- NO Kids. Let me say that I am so excited about this trip, it has been sooooooooooo long in the making. For the 1st entry I thought I might talk about how it all came about.
The Birth of an Addiction . . .
I grew up as the planner in the family. My dream was always WDW. It seemed that every year my mom and aunt would bring up WDW, but the cost to go from our home in northeast Arkansas, just never allowed for it. So we settled for Branson, Missouri; Eureka Springs, Arkansas; and Great Smokey Mountains. They were all within a 6-7 hour drive and was reasonable for a 3-4 night vacation.
Even as a teen, I was the ones making the plans. My mom and aunt gave me a general budget and I was on the phone ordering planning guides and calling to get hotel prices. There was not internet until I was in college, so I had to do it the old fashion way. Spending hours reading everything I could get sent to me in the mail. I consider myself a Branson, MO and Silver Dollar City expert. After several dozen trips, that just happens. My family always had a great time, so they were happy to let me do the planning.
In 2009 I lost my father and my family (me, wife, and two small kids at time) moved back to “home” from central Missouri. Mom really needed us, and especially the grandbabies.
That same year, my mom announced she was taking us all the WDW – no baking out this time. She cut me lose to make the plans and it was like a narcotic. I have been addicted to the Disney Juice ever since. That trip consisted of my mom, sister, my wife, two sons and me. You can read that trip report from the link in my signature if you would like.
I knew I was hooked from that trip and told my wife, we WOULD be back. I made two attempts since that trip to go. Even had reservations at POP made once, but it fell through. After settling for Silver Dollar City last summer, I told the dear wife that was it. We were going to spend our 15th Anniversary trip in WDW in June of 2014. Do not get me wrong, SDC is the closest thing I ever found to WDW. It is awesome, but it is not the Magic Kingdom.
We are timeshare owners, but not DVC. But realized that we could trade our week through RCI and get a week at a WDW resort. So in August of 2013 I put in my RCI request. I did not care what resort we got, just wanted ANY summer week in 2014. I am a teacher and also a preacher, so summer is our only option. With the request it, there was nothing to do but wait for the call. The RCI rep said that DVC resorts are some of the hardest to get and he could not guarantee anything.
Stay Tuned . . . . Will I get a call?
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Click Here or on the picture above to read by personal travel blog.
I'm so excited for you! I remember reading along on your first trip report I really hope you got the call for a resort !
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The Fun, Old-Fashioned Family Vacation, 3.0 http://www.passporterboards.com/foru...ml#post4472933
Ch-Ch-Changes July 2015
[URL="http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/sharing-adventure-disney-world-trip-reports/288847-ch-ch-changes-ptr-july-16-24-a.html"]
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Great start! How fantastic that just you and your wife can get away for your anniversary!
At first we kinda felt guilty about not taking the kids. We have three by now, but this will be our first vacation alone since our 8 year old was born. I know we will miss them, but I know we will have a great time.
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Click Here or on the picture above to read by personal travel blog.
Well as I said, I placed an RCI request in August then waited, and waited, and waited, and waited. By mid October I had almost given up. I had called back several times, but was always told the same thing. “WDW resorts are VERY popular and there is nothing available. I could either keep waiting, or I could choose from “many” wonderful resorts just off WDW property.”
I just kept holding out. The week prior to my 37 Birthday (Nov. 14) my wife and I were talking. We had basically decided to give it one more week, then pick an off-property resort.
Then “it” happened. I was in my classroom on the morning of my birthday. It was my planning period when my phone registered a number I had been dreaming about. My phone screen said RCI.
“Mr. Hawkins, this is James from RCI. I wanted to inform you that we have found reservation for you at Saratoga Spring Resort on the Walt Disney World Resort. Would you like to confirm this reservation?”
I almost peed my pants. I could have received no better birthday gift. YES! I answered.
That was a little over 200 days out from our trip, and it started the “real” planning. I had a date, so now I could start dreaming about my days at WDW. Yea!
Stay Tuned . . . Who has ever heard of Saratoga Springs?
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Click Here or on the picture above to read by personal travel blog.
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