'Ummm, no Mom, you ARE NOT going without me'.....a pre-trip report - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Old 10-16-2011, 05:57 PM   #1
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'Ummm, no Mom, you ARE NOT going without me'.....a pre-trip report

So here I am on the eve of my 6 weeks out mark and I'm getting rather antsy, so I thought, why not start a pre-trip report?? That will let me reminisce on how we got to this point and will help the time go by faster! So, here we go!!!!

We returned from our last vacation June 26th, 2010. It was a WONDERFUL vacation, but I was sad b/c I had nothing in the works to look forward to. DH was adamant that I was NOT going back to WDW in 2011. Of course, I still had a flicker of hope, but it was depressing to have NOTHING in the works! However, I sucked it up and we went hiking in July, then school started in August, then prior to Halloween, I was watching something on TV about WDW during the holidays. I actually didn't turn it to that, dh was flipping channels and stopped there. He turned to me and said, 'ya know, I wouldn't mind going back during Christmas time, but I would want it to be just us'. Of course, I latched on to that for dear life!! I asked him if he was serious and he said yes. I told him we could go pretty reasonably with just the two of us and asked if I could start planning for next Christmas (2011). He said YES!! I was over the moon!!! So, I started doing some early planning, and, as is typical, he wasn't giving much in the way of input. No worries! I'm perfectly ok with doing ALL the planning! So, happily I planned!

Shortly thereafter, we were out visiting my in laws. I mentioned that Jeff had given me the ok to plan a holiday vacation for 2011. He looked at me like I had two heads! He said, 'no I didn't'. WHAT?? I told him he did too! He said he didn't want to go back for a few years, holidays or not! OH NO!!! I was disgusted. However, my mil was sitting over there grinning and saying, 'pick me, pick me!'!! I looked at Jeff (DH) and he said, 'I don't care, I just don't want to go'. OKIE DOKIE!!! NO PROBLEM!!! So that's how it came to be my mil and I instead of Jeff and I! Betty (mil) was SUPER excited, as was I! Her and I travel very well together plus with her paying half, we could look in to staying at a deluxe resort for the first time!! Ok, so once again, I was over the moon!!

Up next: Where, oh where, shall we stay??????
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Old 10-16-2011, 06:04 PM   #2
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Great start!
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Old 10-16-2011, 06:15 PM   #3
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Old 10-16-2011, 06:56 PM   #4
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Great Start Can't Wait to Read More!!
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Old 10-16-2011, 08:20 PM   #5
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more please
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Old 10-16-2011, 08:23 PM   #6
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Um, based on the title of your PTR, I'll bet there are some negotiations about to happen...

Great start!
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Old 10-16-2011, 09:41 PM   #7
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Great start!
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Old 10-17-2011, 02:48 AM   #8
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Old 10-17-2011, 10:19 PM   #9
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Old 10-18-2011, 08:48 AM   #10
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Installment 2: So, happy day, happy day! We are going to Disney World for Christmas festivities!! WOOHOO!!! Now for the BIG questions: When exactly to go and where to stay! My original plan was to go the first full week of December. That way it would give a bit of break after the Thanksgiving rush, etc. So, I put in my request at work. My supervisor ok'd it, then came to me a few days later b/c we had both forgotten that it is a rule in the bank I work in that you can only take 2 days off in December (keeps folks from hoarding their vacation and everyone trying to use it all in December!). So, I settled on Nov 28 - Dec 2. I got with Betty, and she didn't care, so that was fine. It makes things a lot more hectic, though! LOL! I will have Thanksgiving at my house on Thursday (quite a lot of folks for my not so big house!), I'll do some early morning local shopping on Friday, work all day Friday, get my hair trimmed after work, decorate the house for Christmas on Saturday, pack and head to mil's on Sunday (she lives about 1 1/2 hours closer to the airport than we do, so it makes much more sense to just stay the night there and let my fil take us to the airport!), and get up early to head to the airport on Monday! It will be a very busy few days, but heck, maybe that just makes it more exciting, right?? RIGHT!!!

Now to decide where to stay. We knew we wanted Deluxe and we were both pretty well agreed that we want to be on the monorail line b/c that's something we've both always dreamed of. Betty's first choice was Poly, mine was GF. We discussed it and I whined a bit (ok, maybe a lot!!) b/c I just felt like this may be my only opportunity to stay at GF b/c it is so pricey. So, b/c Betty is a good hearted soul, she said that was fine with her! WOOHOO!!!! I'm happy dancing all over the place!!!! Happy Day!!! I'm going to WDW at Christmas time AND staying at my dream resort!! HOLEY CATS!! Could I be more excited??

So I promptly got online to DTA and booked my vacation!!! Then I shared with the boys where we had decided to stay. Since this was never meant to be a trip with kids, I didn't talk a whole lot about it. Let's face it, it is VERY weird to go to WDW and leave your kids at home! When I told them about GF, they were rather annoyed with me b/c I was staying deluxe w/out them. So, there was a little grumbling going on. But they knew the plan and were really ok with it.

Up next: What's this??? A PIN code??? ALREADY????? And OH BOY, an old friend will be going at the same time!!!
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My Previous TripsDL several times between 1983 and 1990; WDW several times between 1986 and 1992; DL for HS grad trip 1992; WDW for honeymoon 1993; DL first trip with oldest son 1996; WDW first trip with oldest son 1997; WDW first trip with youngest son 2002; WDW first trip with mil and my two boys 2004; WDW with mil and my two boys 2006; WDW with dh and my two boys 2008; WDW big family trip June 2010; MIL and I November 2011; Earmarked Conference 2012; Justin, my parents, and I Sept 2014; Earmarked Conference 2014
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Old 10-19-2011, 03:49 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by DisneyDana View Post
OMG! did you get a raise? lol I would love to be able to stay at GF! That will be awesome!
LOL!! NOOOO!! But, when your mil is paying half, it makes it not so expensive!! LOL!! That's the only reason it was doable!
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My Previous TripsDL several times between 1983 and 1990; WDW several times between 1986 and 1992; DL for HS grad trip 1992; WDW for honeymoon 1993; DL first trip with oldest son 1996; WDW first trip with oldest son 1997; WDW first trip with youngest son 2002; WDW first trip with mil and my two boys 2004; WDW with mil and my two boys 2006; WDW with dh and my two boys 2008; WDW big family trip June 2010; MIL and I November 2011; Earmarked Conference 2012; Justin, my parents, and I Sept 2014; Earmarked Conference 2014
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Old 10-18-2011, 10:32 AM   #12
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The Grand Floridian is also my dream resort! So cool you're going to be staying there!
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My 2017 trip - Home is Where the Mouse Is COMPLETE
My Countdown Counting down to: Sailing through the Caribbean on the Freedom
Relaxing on my cruise
My PassPorter Bookshelf
My Previous TripsMay 2006 - WDW / offsite; May 2008 - WDW, SW, US, IOA / offsite; May 2011 - WDW / off-site; June 2012 - WDW / POR; June 2014 - WDW / AKL ~ Kidani Village; June 2017 - WDW / POR
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Old 10-18-2011, 10:58 AM   #13
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Congrats on staying at the Grand Floridian!
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Relaxing on board the Magic. The trip report for our back-to-back cruises on the Disney Magic has started!
My Countdown Counting down to: 2019
Happy New Year!
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My Previous Trips21 trips to WDW, 6 to Disneyland in California, 9 to Disneyland Paris, 1 to Hong Kong Disneyland, 1 to Tokyo Disney, 1 to Aulani, 1 to Hilton Head, 2 to Vero Beach and 13 Disney cruises on the Magic, Wonder, Dream and Fantasy
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Old 10-18-2011, 11:27 AM   #14
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Great Start!! Congrats on getting to stay at the Grand Floridian!
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Old 10-18-2011, 11:52 AM   #15
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What a great start...too funny how DH was all excited to go, then totally forgot the moment (so typical...lol). So glad your MIL was able to fill the space. Love the idea of the GF or the Poly at Christmas Time. Can't wait to hear more.
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