How is a Disney Trip Like a Writing Desk: A PTR through Wonderland UPDATED: 9/18/10

[Tinkerbellarella]

"Have you any idea how a raven is like a writing desk?" - The Mad Hatter

Welcome to my second pre-trip report! And I don't mean second ever, I mean one being written concurrently with another!

There could definitely be worse things than 'having' to plan two Disney trips in less than 10 months. If you're interested in following my other PTR as well, the link can be found here: The Rum Runners.

While that trip is going to take a lot of physical trial and planning, this trip is kind of easy in comparison. Because, you see, this is one of my dream trips.

My first trip with my Prince Charming.

I'll get into the details of who we are in a bit, but for now suffice it to say that BF and I have known each other for 12 years. Though we've had some on and off again times, we've been together for 8. In the 12 years I've known him, I've been to Disney 7 times and not a single time with him.

Why not?

Ahem.

I quote.

"Eh, I'm just not into Disney."



In truth (and over 12 years), I've learned that there is more to it than that. It's a personal issue and one I'm not willing to get into here on the boards. Really, it's enough to know that it's a matter of the heart.

Then, in the past year, I started to see chinks in his anti-Disney wall. And I won't lie, I took a hammer and chisel to them and started chipping away. Slowly. Surely. Until...

SUCCESS!

This time last year, BF and I headed down to Orlando to visit the other Orlando theme parks. GASP! SHOCK! AWE! I know. Believe me, it drove me crazy to be so close and yet so very far...or was I?

We'd decided to do something special on our vacation - a nice night out. For a while it was a toss-up between going to see Cirque in DTD (we're big fans and I've already seen the show) or have a nice dinner out. In the end we opted for dinner and I was able to score us reservations a mere month out at California Grill.

That dinner put a pretty big hole in the anti-Disney wall.

After dinner we took the monorail over to the Poly and walked around a bit, enjoying the evening atmosphere. We finally (and perhaps begrudgingly, for yours truly, at least) hopped a bus back to DTD where we met our driver to take us back to our non-Disney resort. I didn't ask, I didn't push, I didn't mention a thing after that trip. I simply let the juices simmer on their own.

Following the old adage that a watched pot doesn't boil, I tried to forget it and move on. I did a wonderful girlie trip with my good friend/long, lost DIS sister Kat (TarzansKat) in May. I thought about doing a solo trip. I actually even stopped thinking about Disney altogether for a while there. Then one day it came up somehow in conversation and BF said:

"I guess we should just go and give it a shot."

I saw my life raft and I haven't let go since.

Since then we've veeeerrryyyyy sllllooooooooowwlllyyyyy worked towards planning a trip. Though I feared it might never really become a reality, we actually have a trip on the Disney books. I'm so excited about it and might possibly be even more excited about planning it!

Ok, maybe not more excited, but equally so. What DISer doesn't like a good 6 months of planning?!

So welcome to PTR Numero Dos. I promise you we'll have a good time. We already have a bunch of plans set in place, including the resort and even the dining. Keep your eyes peeled for the next update and thanks for coming along for the ride!



----------------------------------

Chp. 1: You just read it!
Chp. 2: It's O-fficial!
Chp. 3: The Overplanner's Plan for Dishing the Plan
Chp. 4: Whooo ARRReee YOUuuu?
Chp. 5: Either That Mickey Phone Is Very Large or That Wasn’t A Multivitamin I Took
Chp. 6: Mini Update #1: Questions, Questions, Who's Got A Question?
Chp. 7: Bring on the TUMS! Part ONE
Chp. 8: Bring on the TUMS! PART TWO
Chp. 9: A Not-So-Brief, Not-So-Disney, Summer Interlude
Chp. 10: Why Yes, I AM Still Going To Disney.
Chp. 11: No, Baby, Walt Disney World ISN'T Just Where the Castle Is...SIGH...
Chp. 12: Doncha Wish You Rocked These Lemon Tights Like Me?
Chp. 13: Man v. Food
Chp. 14: Costume or No Costume, THAT is the Question.
Chp. 15: I Know Why the Caged Bird...Poops.
Chp. 16: A Little Light Housekeeping...
Chp. 17: We Interrupt Your Regularly Scheduled Program...
Chp. 18: The Clock Keeps Ticking, Ticking, Ticking...
Chp. 19: You Know You're A DISer If...
Chp. 20: Bad News Bears
Chp. 21: When Life Hands You Lemons...Trade Them in for Pineapples and Make a Dole Whip
Chp. 22: A Disney Veteran with a Newbie Question
Chp. 23: I'm the Oldest Female Boy Scout You Know
Chp. 24: Do be do be doooo....DONE!
Chp. 25: Seriously, 11 Pipers Piping? Are They Loud? Are They in Tune?
Chp. 26: Ten Lords a'Leapin...But Are They Wearing Tights?
Chp. 27: Nine Ladies Single Digit Dancing...
Chp. 28: Maids Milked. Swans Swam. Tink Ran Around Like A Chicken with No Head.
Chp. 29: With some geese. A'layin. Six of 'em to be exact. And are they Canadian? Eh?
Chp. 30: FIIIIIIVE GOOOOOLDEN (Onion) RIIIIIINGS!!!
Chp. 31: Four Calling Birds. I Hope They Have Unlimited Minutes
Chp. 32: Three French Hens. And A British Turkey Sandwich.
Chps. 33 & 34: Two Turtledoves and a Partridge in A...Ok, WHAT is with ALL the BIRDS?
Disney Eve Update #1
Disney Eve Update #2

 

[TarzansKat]

Seriously? How did I miss the beginning?

WOO HOO!!!

Come on BF! Let's GOOOOO!!!!!

I really hope this pans out. I need to live vicariously through as many DIS trippers as possible, due to impending baby arrival, so, I say bring on the ptr!

 

[Tinkerbellarella]

"There is a place. Like no place on Earth. A land full of wonder, mystery, and danger! Some say to survive it: You need to be as mad as a hatter...which luckily I am." - The Mad Hatter

What makes a Disney trip officially official? Depends on who you ask.

For some people it's having that Disney confirmation number. For others it's making ADRs. For still others, it's not really real until Disney Eve, or until they're boarding that plane or, heck, until they're standing in front of the Disney CM requesting the 70's section at POP on the top floor, kind of in the back and away from the elevator and the ice machines and facing the "Were these years so un-Legendary that they'll never be finished" section.

Not for me.

There's one very specific thing that makes a Disney trip officially official.

Airfare.

As in booking it. As in having THAT confirmation number.

Why might you ask? Well, the answer is simply as simple as simple can be: I book non-refundable tickets. And we don't travel often enough to have a $600+ credit on file to be used within the year. Thus having the airfare = going to Disney.

Much like Tinkerbellarella + too many Lapu Lapus = DISers Gone Wild!

All of that was just the long way of saying...

THIS TRIP IS OFFICIALLY OFFICIAL!!!!!



Ok, now that the dancing fruit compulsion has been dealt with, here's the story of how it all went down...

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale...

...

Sorry. Wrong trip. No boat. Put away the coconut radios.

On Tuesday night BF and I decided (read: I helped BF decide that we really needed to decide) what to do about this trip. Was it really going to happen? Because frankly, I was getting nervous. Though I've had the Disney reservation "just in case" for some time now, it was the airfare that was making me nervous.

I'd been doing a lot of research as we have a few airport choices:

T.F. Green, a.k.a. flying out of Providence, RI (though the airport is technically in Warwick, RI and it's always bothered me that they've said Providence...welcome to the little circus inside my brain) - it's the closest to us, it's small, it's familiar and it's easy. The rates are usually pretty good to boot.

Logan, in Boston - it's larger and has a bigger selection of carriers and when they have a sale, it's usually a great sale. It's a bigger commute and means finding someone willing to drive us in and out (Boston traffic is carppy and there are tolls and parking for the week is NOT an option financially). Thus, it's really only worth it if you're getting a great deal.

Bradley in CT - this is a 2 hour hike for us, but we have good friends there who would probably let us park at their house and help us out with the to/from if we got an amazingly good deal.

Ultimately, Logan got shot down first thing - all of the major airlines were more expensive AND we'd have to pay for baggage, Jet Blue had no major savings and Southwest did not have ONE direct flight to Orlando.

Sorry, I only do non-stop to Orlando. I can't stand the thought of extending a measly 3-hour flight.

Bradley had a decent deal, but it was really only going to save about $20 each over flying out of Providence, which I remind you is:

Closer
Easier
Familiar

So...I was keeping my eye on Green. A close eye. A slightly obsessive, so what if I checked the flight prices twice a day, eye.

We wanted the first flight out and as close to the last flight back as possible.

You know, like EVERYONE ELSE FLYING TO/FROM ORLANDO.

So I knew the pricing situation would remain precarious at best.

I have to say that for watching the rates for a couple of weeks, they didn't fluctuate as much as I thought they would. In the end, although we did end up paying about $30 more a piece than we would've if we'd booked 2-3 weeks ago, we are on the EXACT flights we wanted.

But I get ahead of myself...

::backtracks back like, 50 sentences::

So there we were on Tuesday night in the kitchen making dinner and talking Disney. And let me remind you, BF is Mr. I Don't Care for Disney. Well, Mr. I Don't Care for Disney was telling me, "Let's do it!" and "What are the dates again?" and "Book the airfare in the morning" and "Now what exactly will we do?".

He had me at "Let's do it!"

And by golly, not only was the man agreeing to it but he sincerely seems EXCITED about it!



I actually had a hard time sleeping on Tuesday night, While it's a toss up as to whether it was because dinner didn't sit right with me or the impending booking of the airfare, I'm pretty sure it's the latter. Considering that, at 2 a.m. I was wondering if I shouldn't just get up and book it. Right then.

Somehow I made it through the night, through the commute and settled in at my desk to do the officially official thing. I had this daydream/nightmare that I'd log in and that the flights we wanted would've jumped up to $325 each way or something equally ridiculous but, thankfully, there'd been no change from the day before and so we found ourselves confirmed:

PVD -> MCO 9/19/10 at 7:00 a.m.
MCO -> PVD 9/25/10 at 5:35 p.m.

(If you're reading this and will be on the same flights, please say hello! I'm not shy...though BF may pretend not to be with the "crazy, obsessive woman who is part of some sort of online Disney cult". Really, he is a nice guy. Lot's of redeeming qualities. Muscles to boot.)

We ended up paying a total of $644.80, only $44.80 over budget. Considering how long we waited, I am pleased.

And that's how this trip became officially official.

UP NEXT: Is that a 10 foot tall foosball player in the courtyard or are you just happy to see me?

 

[TarzansKat]

I'm not sure what made me laugh harder, DISers Gone Wild, or the 10 foot tall foosball player...

OMG, Tink. I have so missed your writing.

And I'm so excited that you booked airfare. That does make it official!

 

[LegoMom3]

"There is a place. Like no place on Earth. A land full of wonder, mystery, and danger! Some say to survive it: You need to be as mad as a hatter...which luckily I am." - The Mad Hatter

What makes a Disney trip officially official? Depends on who you ask.

....

There's one very specific thing that makes a Disney trip officially official.

Airfare.

As in booking it. As in having THAT confirmation number.

Ditto. The package may be booked and all the ADRs made, but if'n you cain't git there, yer stink outta luck!

Much like Tinkerbellarella + too many Lapu Lapus = DISers Gone Wild!

Hmm....I'm getting quite the visual here.

THIS TRIP IS OFFICIALLY OFFICIAL!!!!!



Ok, now that the dancing fruit compulsion has been dealt with, here's the story of how it all went down...

Yet another chance for me to have tagged you, if only.....

(If you're reading this and will be on the same flights, please say hello! I'm not shy...though BF may pretend not to be with the "crazy, obsessive woman who is part of some sort of online Disney cult".

This truly is an online Disney cult...

Really, he is a nice guy. Lot's of redeeming qualities. Muscles to boot.

Y'know, I have to trust you on this one. Not only cuz I've never met him and so haven't a first-hand clue, but, hon, really?.....how could you otherwise share so much of your life with a NON-Disney person??!!! Although, if the California Grill is any indication, something tells me that all that is about to change....

Can't wait to see how this all plays out!!

.

 

[jenjolt]

I followed your link over from Leslie's PTR and I'm so excited to read all about your trip!!

YAY for it being officially official!!! WOOOT!!!!!!

 

[Lady Lallie]

I'm here!

Airfare does make a trip so very official.

We haven't booked ours yet and it's making me very nervous. I've been stalking Southwest. We either fly out of Manchester or will do Providence. Boston is a no go like you because they don't have ANY direct flights to Orlando. So not worth it in my opinion.

And as always, you crack me up with your writing.

 

[MRYPPNS]

Tink - only you could work in a reference to a coconut radio into a PTR!

 

[Tinkerbellarella]

I'm not sure what made me laugh harder, DISers Gone Wild, or the 10 foot tall foosball player...

Really, because you know what makes ME laugh HARDEST? This certain pic I have of a certain person at a certain table in a certain Disney park with a certain french fry threatening a certain nostril.

Just sayin'.

OMG, Tink. I have so missed your writing.

but if'n you cain't git there, yer stink outta luck!

Reason #'s 560-563 I need to move to the South:
if'n
cain't
git

I'm also partial to just "set a spell". I love how sit and set are interchangeable.

Y'know, I have to trust you on this one. Not only cuz I've never met him and so haven't a first-hand clue, but, hon, really?.....how could you otherwise share so much of your life with a NON-Disney person??!!!

Right?! LOL Not only that, he's a SCORPIO. Apparently God gave him to me to simply test my patience.

No, really, I Luuuurve him. He's fantastic. And while I don't know if he'll ever be truly bitten by the Disney bug, I'm ok with that. I've only ever wanted for him to visit the World with me once, just so that he understands what it means to me. I'm glad he's finally going to do that.

A'course, a promised repeat visit to CG may have had something to do with it...and the pictures of the junky apples...

It's true what they say about a man's heart and his stomach. And my man's stomach is a seemingly endless pit.

I followed your link over from Leslie's PTR and I'm so excited to read all about your trip!!

YAY for it being officially official!!! WOOOT!!!!!!

Yay! Hi Jen!

We haven't booked ours yet and it's making me very nervous. I've been stalking Southwest. We either fly out of Manchester or will do Providence. Boston is a no go like you because they don't have ANY direct flights to Orlando. So not worth it in my opinion.

Hi chickie! I used Kayak to keep an eye on the "major airlines" just in case a good deal broke. Manchester was a bit far for us so I'm not sure what's been going on with the rates there. Here's my experience with Southwest out of Providence - the rates remained steady except for the late-day return flights. There wasn't a TON of movement but they did jump about $15 overnight this past week. Other than that, they continue to hold steady. I haven't seen them drop at all, so, if possible, I wouldn't wait much longer.

Good luck! Have you flown out of Green before?

Tink - only you could work in a reference to a coconut radio into a PTR!

I do my best.

 

[All7OfUs]

YES!!!! A PTR by Tink!!! Getting the family settled down to a movie- and myself hunkered down with your first post!! YAY!!

 

[Lady Lallie]

Hi chickie! I used Kayak to keep an eye on the "major airlines" just in case a good deal broke. Manchester was a bit far for us so I'm not sure what's been going on with the rates there. Here's my experience with Southwest out of Providence - the rates remained steady except for the late-day return flights. There wasn't a TON of movement but they did jump about $15 overnight this past week. Other than that, they continue to hold steady. I haven't seen them drop at all, so, if possible, I wouldn't wait much longer.

Good luck! Have you flown out of Green before?

I have not flown out of Green before but right now they are the cheapest. I'm hoping to buy within the next few weeks. Marc has dropped people off before so he knows how to get there. I'm just more comfortable from Manchester because that is where I've flown out of the most. But right now it's about a $120 savings to fly out of Green so I'll take it.

 

[Tinkerbellarella]

I have not flown out of Green before but right now they are the cheapest. I'm hoping to buy within the next few weeks. Marc has dropped people off before so he knows how to get there. I'm just more comfortable from Manchester because that is where I've flown out of the most. But right now it's about a $120 savings to fly out of Green so I'll take it.

If you ultimately choose Green let me know. I'll give you some pointers and be happy to answer any of your questions!

 

[All7OfUs]

It's been a freakishly long day packing, sorting, pricing and regular life thrown in for good measure, but I finally am finding some spare moments to sit a read.

First off, I LOVE your writing and story-telling style!! So funny.

I think for me, it really won't be real until I get ON THAT PLANE!! My life is so completely topsy-turvy right now, living from day-to-day that I just can't count on it really happening until it really happens. Although, I have to say, everything has been really flowing so nicely in my planning. I"m sorry this really isn't about me. Let's talk about YOU!!

I am thrilled you have come this far in bringing BF around to agreeing to go!! That's really an exciting step forward. I"m really looking forward to seeing how your planning goes over the next months!

 

[HeatherBelle614]

I'm in!

So glad your Prince Charming has agree to go!

Can't wait to hear more! BTW, when are you dates?? (Or, maybe I've blanked and missed them.)

 

[TarzansKat]

Really, because you know what makes ME laugh HARDEST? This certain pic I have of a certain person at a certain table in a certain Disney park with a certain french fry threatening a certain nostril.

Just sayin'.

You know...you're all really lucky I let you take that picture, and that's all I have to say about that.

I'm sure that's going to come out as blackmail fodder some day.

 

[Tinkerbellarella]

First off, I LOVE your writing and story-telling style!! So funny.

Thanks!

I am thrilled you have come this far in bringing BF around to agreeing to go!! That's really an exciting step forward. I"m really looking forward to seeing how your planning goes over the next months!

Would it surprise you, or any other DISer for that matter, that the plans are made. As in done. As in 4 months early? Down to the CSs we'll be visiting?

It's an illness, I tell you, a wonderful, Disney illness.

I'm in!

So glad your Prince Charming has agree to go!

Can't wait to hear more! BTW, when are you dates?? (Or, maybe I've blanked and missed them.)

Welcome! We'll be down there from 9/19-9/25.

You know...you're all really lucky I let you take that picture, and that's all I have to say about that.

I'm sure that's going to come out as blackmail fodder some day.

I want to blow it up into an 8X10 and frame it.

 

[Charleston Princess]

Um, how did I manage to miss not only this PTR but another one as well???

Hanging my head in shame.

Apparently, I am not the most observant creature that ever lived.

But I am here now!!! And woohoo for taking BF to the World for the first time ever!

Does he get to have a First Visit button???

 

[firecracker725]

I laughed out loud a couple of times reading this. My husband isn't all that Disney crazy either (he's been twice), but I'm dragging his surly behind anyway.

I'm subbing. Can't wait to read more!

 

[All7OfUs]

Would it surprise you, or any other DISer for that matter, that the plans are made. As in done. As in 4 months early? Down to the CSs we'll be visiting?

It's an illness, I tell you, a wonderful, Disney illness.

Quite frankly, NO! HA! And I should ask you if it would be surprising if I already had my first installment of my TRIP REPORT done about 4 months before EVEN GOING.

It IS an illness!! But it hurts so good!

 

[Tinkerbellarella]

Um, how did I manage to miss not only this PTR but another one as well???

Hanging my head in shame.

Apparently, I am not the most observant creature that ever lived.

No, but you're super-sweet so all is forgiven.

But I am here now!!! And woohoo for taking BF to the World for the first time ever!

Does he get to have a First Visit button???

I want to GET him a First Visit button but whether he'll wear it remains to be seen...

My husband isn't all that Disney crazy either (he's been twice), but I'm dragging his surly behind anyway.

Now, is it just his behind that's surly? And are you only bringing his rear parts? If so, I'd like to know how you work that out.

Welcome.

And I should ask you if it would be surprising if I already had my first installment of my TRIP REPORT done about 4 months before EVEN GOING.

So THAT's what happened to Nine-Eye and the Timekeeper and his crazy Time Travel Machine. It was shipped to BlankAStan.

But it hurts so good!

Sometimes love don't feel like it should, you make it, hurt so good.

That will be stuck in my head for the rest of the day!

Okay, all, update imminent.