I totally enjoy reading all the expeditions and adventures that the people here plan and take. Most of them are out of my reach not because of cost but because of my anxiety. I don't wish to travel internationally by myself and I'm very reluctant to fly. There's probably a pill for that....
All that said, I've enjoyed collecting credit card rewards and gifting to family.
Still I've managed to do some limited and local trips. I also have DVC, and have used points to pay some dues.
1. January this year my first trip was to Hilton Head with my two grands. Disney Resort using my DVC. I used the proceeds from a signup bonus to cover the gas down and back, used gift cards for food and souvenirs for the girls. 4 or 5 nights, can't recall exactly.
2. March was a repeat but with just one grandchild. On both trips I used Marriott FNC for overnights to make the ride each day shorter for the girls. 5 nights at the resort.
3. April was a trip to Florida and Disney. DD and girls flew down and took a
Disney cruise out of Cape Canaveral. We went back and forth about me going on the cruise, but I couldn't make myself go. Even arriving to pick them up at the terminal was so stressful for me, but I forced myself to do it, especially since DD refused to take an Uber out to meet me.
I drove down and spent a couple of nights in Daytona Beach Shores, sitting and walking on the beach, something I truly love to do. I did 4-5 nights on FNC's and Marriott points going and coming. Then I met my family and carried them all to the Polynesian for a few days. DVC and Disney gift cards for food, plus other cards for outside restaurants. I learned how to navigate some of Disney's new rules on that trip. We mostly had takeout from Kona Cafe and the quick service plus a few Dole Whips and a couple of meals over in Celebration at some spots I still enjoy. It was a no park trip although I have tickets to burn. If I don't use them they will get reassigned to family. DD did not want to do tickets into the crowded parks for the girls after the cruise, so they did a lot of swimming which was fine with them. She had to do remote work 2 days of her trip so I enjoyed the grands. They flew home, ubering to MCO at 4am and flying SW into DC - I don't remember which airport. Then I meandered up the road, stopping in Hilton Head for a bit but not at Disney.
4. Hyatt points paid for my hotel in Ocean City, Maryland in June. Plus I may have stayed IHG that trip also. 3 nights total during the Air Show. The cost of mediocre hotels in summer in OC is ridiculous! I don't want to fly but I love watching the planes. We were right there so sat on our balcony and watched a lot, ate pizza and other junk food and at least one or two decent meals. Walked the beach, visited the sand dunes and horses on Assateague Island and chilled.
5. Back To OC on Hyatt points again end of July, with a repeat except no air show, just sand, sun and horses on the Island.
I stayed at Holiday Inn and Suites on one or both of these trips also. That hotel is beautiful after a significant refurb. I will do it next trip again as you step right out onto the beach sand.
6. Fast forward to November, Disney again. We stayed DVC at BWV and Grand Floridian Lagoon Resort studio. Felt like a 70 year old Princess in that room. This trip we went to the parks and were up early and out the door for rope drop, which was sort of anticlimactic because after being admitted to the parks for the early opening hours, they held us until 8 before we could ride in MK and DHS. Still I was able to easily do as much as I wanted with minimal waiting in lines. I didn't need the 'extra' paid stuff because I don't do anything very exciting, with Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railroad the most ambitious I got. My long time friend came along on this trip so I had a companion. She did the exciting rides (she's a few months older than me but afraid of nothing but patiently understands me), and did not need the paid genie plus or paid lightning lanes either. While she did the MK mountains, I visited Tom Sawyers Island for the first time in 34 years of Disney trips. It was peaceful. Didn't wait in any long lines more than maybe 20 minutes. We also hopped into Epcot from our parks, didn't make a reservation there, since it's so easy when staying at BWV.
Friend caught the fireworks and whatever the thing in Epcot is called - edit here - Harmonious? After getting up early most days, I just wanted to go to bed by 8 or 9, but the fireworks would wake me some nights and I would look out the window at them. Our rooms were great with very nice views.
And now December is here and I want to go see the snow geese when they arrive in the Blackwater Refuge on the Eastern Shore - no bugs to carry you away, just cold. I'll do points nights wherever they are available. Late January into February I head out again for Hilton Head and Boardwalk Villas with a night at Riviera to check it out. I'm going to miss the 10% on gas on my Chase cards once January 1 rolls around! Turns out I had in on 2 Disney cards and the IHG card. I'll be stocking up on a few hundred in
Amazon Gift cards at the nearby Royal Farms gas station. They carry everything but Disney cards.
