My Solo Pre Trip Report

[karice2]

This is my very first attempt to do any sort of trip report but after reading the DIS board, I figured it would give me an opportunity to settle some of my nervous energy. I always imagine myself as the writer type but I have never committed to doing it for real. I am going to do it this time because I am solo and want to just get it all out.
So, I’ll start with a little about me. This is my second Disney trip solo. Well that is a bit of a stretch. Last year my High School Sweetheart and I were in Orlando for a couple of days. We did manage to experience Downtown Disney and Disney Quest together before he had to leave to go back for work. I had just finished reading The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch so I wanted to see the Aladdin ride that he worked on when he was an Imagineer. For theme parks though, he wanted to do Universal. Kind of crazy in my mind but I let him have his way. Just as a side note, My HSS is a total hottie and any opportunity that we can still spend together is worth it. Plus it is fun to have someone around who gets you on most things.
Anyway, I stayed in Orlando for another four days after he left. I was using my parent’s timeshare because they never use it so I didn’t get to experience the magic of a Disney resort. I will rectify that on this trip. I did manage to hop all the parks while I was there but just a small taste. Not enough to fill my Mickey Belly. So that is how we get to this pre trip report. Being home alone on your 32nd birthday was enough for me to say enough was enough. I am getting a Mickey Fix. Don’t you love how Birthday’s always seems to be a catalyst for some big change in your life?

 

[deslynnpatterson]

how exciting a solo trip i would love to do that someday if i can get up the courage to fly alone LOL I can't wait to hear more about your trip! Sounds so exciting!!

 

[karice2]

Finding My Magic

My parent’s are lovely people. Well my dad and stepmother are lovely people. Oh crap, my mom is lovely too but this part of the story only pertains to my dad and stepmother. (So, mommy if you are listening, I think you are lovely). They are lovely people that don’t really go anywhere. My stepmother has some health issues that make it hard for her to travel. But they do have a timeshare that is already paid for. Sometimes timeshares give extra weeks. This year they got an extra week. They didn’t know they had an extra week. I had a crappy birthday. I wanted the extra week for my birthday. In 2009 for my birthday, I woke up in England and had an English Tea at the Ritz and saw the Lion King in the West End of London. In 2010, I was recovering from some sort of crappy blizzard.

This disparity had to be fixed, hence the cruising of the timeshare website and the discovery of the extra week. Let me be clear, I did not plan on taking a vacation this year since 2008 and 2009 were spectacular times for me. From March 2008 to February 2009, I had four vacations. They were really good ones too. I managed Hawaii, St. Lucia, Orlando, Disney and London in the span of 11 months. I was feeling overly blessed. I didn’t want to push anything, especially in this economy and the renovations that I was doing on my house. I wanted to just be happy that I was still employed and was able to live a decent life when so many others were struggling. But I was really sad about how my birthday had turned out. I wanted to bring some joy back into my life. Mickey and Disney are always a source of joy for me.

After a quick conversation with Daddy (yes I know, I am 32 and still say Mommy and Daddy). Heck, I still tell people that I am a Princess. I figured until I am married, I am still Daddy’s Princess. He agrees so who am I to argue.

I found an extra week from May 7 - 14 sometime in the late part of March so it only gave me 8 weeks to plan everything. It would be a struggle but I was up for the challenge. I found a spot at Vacation Village at Parkway chosen mainly for its proximity to Disney. i also like having a full kitchen and the extra rooms in case someone wanted to go with me.

My best friend and old Army roommate was supposed to go but had to back out because of previous obligations. My other friend was also supposed to go but had to cancel because of a huge tax bill. So it was me solo again. Oh well, good thing I like my own company. In my planning frenzy, I found the DISBoard and was immediately hooked. I learned so much and put some of the hints into practice immediately. Before this board, I didn’t know about ADR’s or Pins or even about the different resorts. I learned so much that I am forever in the board’s debt. Now back to our planning for Disney Magic.

How does a slightly OCD, Logistics Analyst plan for another solo trip to Disney? Here’s how: Microsoft office printed calendar, large wall calendar, different color post its, colored dry erase markers, checklists, and two separate laptops. That’s how.

Solo Disney Pre-Trip

How do I get there and how will I get around?

Well last time I was in Disney, HSS rented the car so I didn’t need one. Once he left, I just used the resort shuttle. It worked for me. Wasn’t the greatest but I was so tired from all the park hopping that it didn’t really matter if I had a car or not. I would be there longer this time and alone for the whole time so I didn’t want to be car less. Conventional wisdom says that’s easy rent a car. Yes well, I did some good ole’ Disney math and found that maybe that wouldn’t be the best way to go.

Rental Car Math
Airfare from BWI $220
Checked Bags $90
Rental car including taxes - $279 (I can’t do the compact basic car, I drive a truck in my normal life)
Grocery Shopping - $150 (low end)
Gas, etc- $35
Total $774

No Car but shuttles & taxis
Airfare $220
Checked bags $90
Transportation to Resort - $109 RT with 30 minute grocery stop
Shuttles and taxis - $150
Groceries - $150
Total $719

These prices are good but not great. Especially since I had a place to stay that was so cheap. But there was another option. Something I had heard of but thought it was a figment of my imagination like Unicorns or leprechauns. I think of it often in my awful commute on the DC beltway. What if there was a way to put my car on some sort of transportation and ride it till I get where I want to go? Then get in my car and drive off, no muss, no fuss.

Hazzah(Renaissance Festival people know this term), it does exist, the Amtrak Auto Train. I can load my car with all my stuff, board a train, sleep through the night and wake up in Disney for $578. I won’t even lose a day of work since it doesn’t leave until 4. I have to be there to load my car by 2. I work 30 minutes away. Sweet! I love it when a plan comes together. Disney Magic plan parts 1 & 2 complete.

 

[karice2]

Now I knew how I am getting there, the checklists could start coming together. So like I said, I am a little OCD. So I make lists about which lists need to be made. Here are my lists that need to be completed: Packing list: Clothes, Food, Train Bag, Documents, and Books. Orlando Activities: Parks, Tours, Special Events in Orlando. Restaurants, Things to do prior to leaving; you get the idea. My lists have lists which helps me to get everything planned in such a way that I haven’t forgotten anything in all my vacations.

I also print out a weekly calendar for every week up to and the week after vacation. I leave space to write notes and confirmation numbers when making phone calls. On that calendar, I include any tasks that need to be completed; Reservations, organization, shopping trips, etc. Having the paper calendars handy also allow me to have a physical idea of what is left and what needs to be completed. Every 3 days, I go in and update the calendar in the computer so that it becomes a part of the itinerary. I also include any special details that I have collected. All that loads to my blackberry which will be traveling with me. So there, you have my confession. My name is Kim and I’m a listaholic. As an aside, my to do lists for my daily life are in one book and I just keep adding stuff. One of my favorite things to do is to go in and scratch stuff off that list. I have such a sense of accomplishment whenever I do that. It’s the little things.

Oh yeah, forgot to mention, that during this planning phase, I decided that I wanted to find another job. Well, not find another job but switch companies but still do my same job. So now I have two things in motion, planning Disney and switching companies. I managed to get most of the stuff done to switch companies, offer letter in hand but have to tell new company that I can’t start until after my vacation. Luckily, they know me and my work so I got a pass on that one. I am really excited about this, I feel like this should have been done years ago. Really a goo d step for my career. Bringing it all back to Disney Magic, I now have something to celebrate. That means more magic events for me. Also since I will be leaving my old company, I can use some of my leave from the old company and extend my trip.