Nala and pride the "Are we CRAZY?" trip... the trip home.... About This Page:

[Nala]

OK, so I think both Grumpy and I are nuts! I still can’t believe we are doing this!


It all started when………

About a month ago Allegiant Air announced that it would extend its service from Peoria to include a direct flight to Orlando. I hadn’t heard anything about this until Grumpy told me and added that there was a picture of Mickey in the local paper that day and he had flown in to Peoria to kick off the new service. I was crushed that Mickey had been in Peoria and I had missed him and Grumpy offered to bring home a copy the paper with the picture of the event in it if they still had it at work the next day. When I went to work the following morning I found the previous days paper in the garbage, pulled it out and found the article. It was in fact not THE Mickey, but someone in mouse ears with some face paint on. I laughed and threw it back in the garbage and didn’t give it a second thought. After all, the news really didn’t affect me as I don’t fly and had no interest in the service.

Jump to two weeks later. Central Illinois was blessed with some unseasonably warm weather and Grumpy and I took advantage of it to get a head start on our yard work. We would work for a bit and then sit down to take a break and enjoy each others company while we watched our DD, Kiara, play on her new swing set. Somehow the conversation came around to the new airline flying direct to WDW. But I don’t fly so it was a moot point. But Grumpy, being full aware of my fear of flying and my love of WDW, kept talking about it.

All I remember is he kept saying “Just think, we could be in WDW Memorial Day weekend. You wouldn’t have to wait until next January to get your next fix”. And he added that he would be willing to explore different resorts like WL, AKL or even the GF. And he kept adding fuel to the fire with the thought of not just going to WDW once a year but maybe two or three times. But I don’t fly. Keep talking. And he did. I found myself online later that night checking out Allegiant. The seed was planted.

The next day was Monday. I went to work and all I could think about was going to WDW. But I would have to fly. Putting myself and my baby on a plane was something I swore I would never do. But I couldn’t stop thinking about it. It was a crazy idea. Just for fun, I checked out Expedia to see what the rates were for Disney resorts at that time. It was all in fun as I would never do it because I don’t fly. Knowing full well I would never get an AP rate this late in the game, I figured out how much it would cost us. And which resort would we stay at? Which one would be the best for us IF we did do this. I figured out a budget, picked out a resort and had fun with what was my silly fantasy. It would never happen because I don’t fly. But it was fun to think about.

So in my fantasy, I had decided that we would have to stay at a MK resort. For a short weekend trip most of our time would be spent at MK as that is Kiara’s favorite. Plus, my favorite restaurant in all of WDW is ‘Ohana and I would HAVE to eat dinner there. FTW cabins were out as that is where we spend our week long trips at WDW and we wanted to try something else. So that left me with WL, Poly, GF and the Contemporary. Three of the four were out of the budget and one held the greatest appeal. Wilderness Lodge. We could afford it, it was woodsy , had a great pool and was close to the MK. So if I could get on the plane, that is where I would want to stay. I came home that night and discussed it with Grumpy and told him the rates we could expect to pay at WL and he said “So do it”. And then he added “Oh, that’s right, you don’t fly”. I then heard him muttering something about being shocked that anything would keep me from my beloved happy place.

For the next few days I fought an internal battle. I wanted to go to WDW. But I don’t fly. The crowds would be huge. It would cost too much money. And I don’t fly. But every time one of those thoughts popped into my head it was pushed out by something else. YOU COULD BE IN WDW NEXT MONTH! And when I thought about being in my happy place my emotions got the better of me. So I sent a quote request to my TA. As I have one of the best TA in the world, she responded to me the next morning with what was available. The only AP rate she could find on property was at AKL. A deluxe pool view or a two bedroom suite. For a brief, insane moment I considered the suite. While the room at AKL sounded great we really wanted to be at WL. I advised her of this and she came back with a courtyard view at WL at rack rate. No AP discount available. No big deal. I hadn’t expect her to find anything at an AP rate there or anywhere at all considering the timing. I told her to book the room and confessed I fully expected to pay rack rate. So it was done. We had our room. Now all I had to do is book the flight. And get on the plane.

After I got home from work I made the really big step. I booked the non refundable airfare to Orlando. It was official. We were going. In a little over a month I would be in WDW. But I had to fly.

In the next few days I attempted to curb my anxiety of flying by making PS. I really didn’t expect anything to be available but made the call anyway. I wanted ‘Ohana for dinner on the day we arrived (Friday) and CP for dinner on Sunday night. I was shocked to get them both. So we were set. I had the room, the flight and the PS I wanted. But I still have to get on the plane.

A few days after I had given my CC# to my TA I received an email from her that she had found a standard view room at a savings for the three nights of $204. I’ll take it. While the courtyard view would have been nice, for a $204 savings I can look at the parking lot. It is only for three nights and how much time will we really spend looking out the window of our resort? And we are still at the WL and that is all that really mattered to us.

My next challenge was finding transportation from Sanford International Airport to the WL. After weighing the options of a rental car and a town car and the great advise of a fellow Passporter, I booked Happy Limo to take us to WDW.

So with all the major details taken care of all I have to do is wait (and finish my last trip report). And read this board and every other Disney web site. My original plan was to do AK on Saturday and MK on Sunday. But then I realized the Flower and Garden Festival was going on at Epcot! This was something Grumpy and I had said we had to do one of these days. So now we could. So I changed the plan. Epcot on Saturday, MK on Sunday. I would not get to see FOTLK and I hoped Kiara would forgive me for missing her beloved Emma ride (Triceratops Spin). But Dumbo was open ( we missed it last trip due to rehab) so she should be happy.

When we told Kiara she was going back to WDW the first thing she said was “Buzz Lightyear?” So there is no doubt that is a must do. Good thing it has a fast pass!

Three weeks later……

And the clock keeps ticking down. And I still have no idea how I will survive the flight. I keep telling myself that it will be ok and once I am on board it will only be a few short hours until I am in my happy place. Something I didn’t expect to happen again until January of 2006. This has to be a good thing.

One thing I know for sure. Grumpy will not sit next to me on the flight or let my hands anywhere near his arms. While he recovered physically from the wounds my nails inflicted on his arm when we flew to Vegas to get married eight years ago, the mental image is fresh in his mind. I will never forget him saying he should have worn long sleeves!

So guys, I am sure I will be hitting you up for flying pixie dust. I know I have been joking about this but it truly is a phobia and one that merits professional help in the form of therapy or prescription drugs. But that would involve facing my other phobia……Doctors! I know, I’m a freak. I just have to keep focused on what is at the end of the flight. My happy place!

Besides my crippling fear of flying there are several other reasons I think we are crazy to do this. Grumpy and I both HATE crowds which is why we go in January. It is not a fear of them, just something that makes us both uptight. One of the reasons I had such a hard time getting him to go to WDW the first time is he hated the crowds when he went as a kid some almost thirty years ago. So we are going to go on a holiday weekend? And lets not even talk about the cost! Rack rate…..ouch! But I know seeing the F&GF and the look of excitement on Kiara’s face as she is about to get on Buzz will make it all worthwhile. And since we have been there a time or two before and have plans on going back, it won’t break our hearts to leave the parks and head back to the WL for a swim. In fact I fully expect pool time to be a favorite activity for Kiara.

In just six days I will be in my happy place.