The "5 Reasons to NOT GO" Versus "5 Reasons TO GO" Surprise Trip - Page 2 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Okay. So now that the shock of actually booking the trip has worn off, I'm back with the details.
Our last trip was in April/May of 2009. Honestly, it feels like yesterday and a million years ago all at the same time. It wasn't long after we got home that we started talking about when "the next" trip would take place. Our first trip with DS was In early December 2007 and we really enjoyed celebrating the holiday season at Disney. Natually, we started discussing taking our next trip in December 2010. A new dryer, a new refrigerator, a new stove, and extended family trips to South Carolina and Kansas later...we started talking more about December 2011.
While DH and I discussed, debated, belabored WHERE we would stay on our next magical trip to WDW, DS frustrated us by making little comments about not being big enough to ride the rides at WDW and wanting to only go back to Legoland (for the 500th time). Every once in a while, we'd chuck all our plans out the window and start making plans for yet another Southern California trip to feed DS's Lego addiction. Surprise, DS would announce he was much too big for all rides at Legoland and he wanted to go back to WDW. Let's just say, that for the last 6 months or so, we just avoided any and all discussions related to travel at all. Every so often, DS bates us into a discussion about the benefits of car travel versus the benefits of traveling to far away places on the airplane. We do our best to change the subject.
It was also during this time that DS began to make some interesting comments while looking through his WDW scrapbooks ad photo albums. Comments regarding the 'people' who wear those outfits type comments. Devistated by the idea that our little boy is growing up and showing signs of figuring out 'what's behind the curtain' we assumed a similar strategy of just avoiding conversations of that nature as much as possible. Around Christmastime, the questions started up again, but I'm glad to say that a timely trip on "The Polar Express" seems to have temporarily stitched together the 'curtain' and DS's sense of wonder and magic seem to be in tact.....for now.
Speaking of our trip on "The Polar Express"...It takes place in Northern Arizona and is run by the Grand Canyon Railway. They offer an overnight hotel stay/train ride to the North Pole package that's all tied in with "The Polar Express" book. Anyway, we did this last year, but only with the train ride. It was cheaper to book a hotel room somewhere else...kinda like staying off site at WDW. DS was so disappointed that we weren't actally staying AT the hotel next to the train station, but.....he lived. Anyway, this year we talked about going back to see Santa at the North Pole and DS had one of his 'dis-believing' moments and said he was too big for that stuff. So, we didn't make reservations. A month later, DS saw an advertisement and started lamenting that he wanted to take the train again to the North Pole. Anyone else feeling whiplash? I lamented along with DS about our missed opportunity while sending a few frantic texts back and forth to DH. Fortunately, we were still able to get a package booked (onsite and all) and decided to surprise DS with the whole thing. The surprise went off sooooo well! DS never saw it coming and he was soooo happy!!! We told DS we were taking a relaxing drive to see where the road would take us. We ignored a few comments about how the drive was too long and he wished the road would take us HOME! Once we arrived in the parking lot of the train station/hotel, we got treated to the whole whopping, hollering, screaming experience. We told DS that Santa sent the tickets and a note that said we could stay overnight at the hotel because he was worried that DS was starting to have 'believing' issues. So, DS stopped having so many doubts and DH and I learned that DS really likes to be surprised.
It was sometime after this trip that DS starting paying more and more attention to the new WDW commercials. It's like he goes into a trance. After the commercial, he goes right back to what he was doing. Who am I kidding though? Don't we all do this?
So, fast forward to 2/13/11. DH, DS and I were out having lunch at our favorite local hamburger joint. We were talking about how much we loved the toppings bar, but wished it had cheee on it like the ones at WDW. While DS sat and ate his food, DH and I started to text back and forth to each other on our phones about how much we wanted to surprise DS with a trip sometime this year. Later that day, DS abandoned us to use up some of his allocated computer time. DH and I took the opportunity to discuss the idea a little more. Now, being a compulsive WDW planner, it didn't take me long to pull up my database of completely planned trips. Short trips, long trips, value trips, deluxe trips; they were all there. WHEN? WHERE? We still couldn't decide. Our biggest concern is spending more money having the same trip we've already taken. We're already stayed at BWI, BC, and YC. We've agonized long and hard over staying someplace NEW....WHERE??? A while back, I even posted on PP about it. I got great advice, but we still couldn't commit to anything. WHEN? April/May like last time? It was hot! December as planned? Can we wait that long? What if DS looses his magic before then? One thing we knew for certain was that it had to be a surprise.
With budget concerns and wanting to try something new, we considered a lengthy stay at POP Century. We stayed there the first night of our last trip and although it definately didn't offer what we had come to love about the Deluxe resorts, it would be good enough and definately fit into out budget and 'something new' requirement. (okay - newish!) The only thing that we felt was a 'deal breaker' at POP was the more standard type pool(s) and lack of a SAB type experience. We considered making up for this by going to Blizzard Beak or Typhoon Lagoon one day, but DS can be pretty nervous around water 'ride' type features and play areas with too much 'splash' effect. I played around with the numbers and suggested a split stay with half our days at POP and half at either YC or BC sometime in May as an early celebration for DS's 7th birthday...After looking at the numbers, we decided we were within our budget (close enough!) and were happy with the plan. Did we book it? NO! We made the poor (yet grown-up) decision to sleep on it and revisit the idea the next night after talking to the house sitter.
Fast forward 24 hours later, DH had checked over our dates with the house sitter and our trip needed a little adjusting to work with his schedule. We also discovered that by delaying it a couple of days we'd be able to be there for the reopening of Star Tours and the first Star Wars Weekend. Off to the computer I went to get it all arranged......DOH! The only rooms now available at BC/YC were concierge level! This was definately not in our budget. I played around with the numbers a little more and came up with a 7 night stay at POP and a 3 night stay at BC Concierge level and we were back in business. Most of the trip would be a value trip, but we'de have a little splurge on the end and DS could get his SAB action in. I was half way throuht the booking process on the laptop while checking out a few other ideas on the netbook. I honestly have no idea how or why I was still researching things at this point, but I discovered that we could SAVE a little if we switched those last 3 nights to an available Garden View room at The Polynesian! It was at this point when DH pointed out that he knows from whom DS gets his indecisiveness from!
Here's the Long Story Short part....
May 11-May 18 POP Century Disc. Pkg w/10 day PH & Reg. DDP
May 18-May 21 POLY R.O. using late Spring Discount.
It's our first Surprise trip.
It's our first more than 1 night stay any place other than a Deluxe.
It's our first stay at POLY.
It's our first Star Wars Weekend.
It's our first trip where I haven't been up at the crack of dawn 180 days before to schedule ADR's.
It will be our first time to Hoop dee Doo.
It will be our first time to Akershus. (DS has a thing for Belle!)
It will be our first time to Tusker House.
It will be our first time to Chef Mickey's.
It will be our first time to Biergarten.
It will be out first trip without a stroller and since DS stopped taking naps.
AND, we've decided it will be our first trip with no Pre-Paid Photopass, no taking pictures of food, no scheduling things down to 15 minute increments, no scheduled CS locations/times - other than for ADR's we eat when we're hungry. If there are left over CS credits - oh well!, no taking notes about how many rides we got in before a scheduled trip to the restroom, no kidcot passport or book (done twice before).....
DH keeps teasing me and saying it will be the best unplanned trip ever planned!
I actually contemplated not doing a trip report at all (for fear of it leading to inadvertant planning)...hence the reason it's been a week since my last post. But, I just can't help myself. Especially since this is a surprise trip. DH and I can't sit around and talk about it in front of DS. I've got to have someplace to come where I can wig-out about this trip!!!
THANK you all for reading! Seriously, THANK YOU to anyone who just read all that! It's appreciated!
__________________
Countdown to April/May 2014 Boardwalk Inn.....3 Generations trip with my mom (first trip) and DS9 (fourth trip). DS's gonna show his Gramma the world!
Sounds like it will be a great trip! Before DVC we used to stay the first night at a value and then move to a mod. You appreciate the upgrade so much more. I know you'll just love the Poly! It sounds like you have some great meals too! I like the laid back attitude as well! I would suggest getting one of the Disney Wait times apps for your smart phone if you are going without any plan for the day at all!
That is a lot of "firsts" this trip! A couple of trips back we decided to chuck all our plans out the window and just "wing it" and it was one of our best trips ever. Now I only book a couple of ADR's and that is it. I agree with Heather about the wait time apps for your phone, if you have a smartphone. They have been invaluable for our last few trips.
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I lamented along with DS about our missed opportunity while sending a few frantic texts back and forth to DH. Fortunately, we were still able to get a package booked (onsite and all) and decided to surprise DS with the whole thing. The surprise went off sooooo well! DS never saw it coming and he was soooo happy!!! We told DS we were taking a relaxing drive to see where the road would take us. We ignored a few comments about how the drive was too long and he wished the road would take us HOME! Once we arrived in the parking lot of the train station/hotel, we got treated to the whole whopping, hollering, screaming experience. We told DS that Santa sent the tickets and a note that said we could stay overnight at the hotel because he was worried that DS was starting to have 'believing' issues. 
So, DS stopped having so many doubts and DH and I learned that DS really likes to be surprised. 
One thing we knew for certain was that it had to be a surprise. 
Dora
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