Start planning... now? I think so. My first Pre-Trip Report: July 2011

[carly3592]

Hello!

So this is my first Pre-Trip Report ever, so let's see how this goes.....

I think it's too close (and I'm basically done planning) to make a PTR for my next WDW vacation, July 2010 (going with my DBF and DM). SO, I'm gonna seek the aid of DIS boards (cuz I know you guys are just awesome) for when I plan to return.... July 2011!

Here's the rough idea: I'm gonna be 19 at the time of travel, so I'll be making all the reservations. I plan on financing most if not all of the trip myself, so I'm gonna need some money raising ideas. I'm gonna bring my boyfriend who will be 18 at the time, so there's no issue of bringing someone over 21. I'll be sure to keep you all updated as much as I can (the updates will probably be more frequent once I get the hang of these PTR's)

OH- and here's the big catch- I want this to be a surprise trip for my boyfriend, as a high school graduation present. So I'm gonna need some help with keeping my mouth shut.

 

[carly3592]

Alright, a little addition to my intro...

This is me, at my last WDW vacation. I was 16 when this pic was taken, so about a year and 4 months ago. I'm the tall one next to Capt. Hook, the other two are my cousins. My first WDW vacation was when I was 4 years old and I've been in love with the parks ever since. My upcoming July 2010 trip will be my 6th time to the World and 8th time to a Disney Park (I've been to Disneyland twice).

This is me and my DBF, Austin. He'll be 17 in May and he's the one I'm planning on surprising with the July 2011 trip. He's coming with me and my mom this summer, and it'll be his second time at WDW.

We've been together for a little over a year, so by the time this 2011 trip rolls around, it'll be almost 2 and a half years. I'll be 19 and he'll be 18. We knew each other through high school since 2007 but we really got to know each other through our school's drama department, which we are both VERY involved in. This is us last fall where we had the 2 leading roles in our school's production of HARVEY (Jimmy Stewart, anyone???)

Anyway, onto the trip! This will be the first time I'm planning an entire vacation on my own. My 2010 WDW trip was mostly my doing, but I had some help along the way. Like I said before, I plan on financing most if not all of this vacation on my own.... yikes. But, nevertheless, here's the (very) rough itinerary:

July 15, 2011: Depart home, arrive in Orlando, take bus to cruise on the Dream!
July 15-19: Nassau, Castaway Cay, Day at Sea, cruise!!!!!
July 19-26: Walt Disney World!!!!

I REALLY want to stay at the Poly, but it's so dang expensive... I'll be willing to settle for a value resort, partially because I've never been to one and I wanna give it a try someday. I've previously stayed on-site at Coronado Springs, Saratoga Springs, and this summer I'll be staying at Old Key West.

And this will be not only my first Disney cruise, this will be my first cruise EVER. So I'm gonna need a lot of help with planning that portion of the trip.

I'm so excited to get the real planning started! I already have a lot of fun ideas, and I'm trying to pick up more hours at work to make a little more money to put aside for the trip.

Any insight, tips, suggestions, comments, questions, etc. are welcome!!!

Yay!!!

 

[carly3592]

CHAPTER ONE: THE GRAND (and very rough) PLAN

So I decided I'll start by letting you all know my motives behind this trip and what my plan of attack is.

My graduation present (go 2010!!!) is a trip to WDW. My aunt has very graciously given me all of her vacation points for this year to use in July. So, we're staying at her home resort, OKW. My DBF, who's a year younger than me, will graduate high school in 2011. Because I believe that this is the coolest graduation present ever, I decided to go all out and return to WDW in July of 2011 to celebrate HIS graduation (and, like I said, it's a surprise!)

And, since I've never been on a Disney Cruise, I figured I'd throw that on and add on an additional $2000 that I need to raise. Oh yeah... I'm paying for most if not all of this trip on my own.

So basically I need to start saving money....... now. I already have about $200 set aside, and I want to have $2000 saved by the end of August so I can book the cruise without having to worry about coming up with the rest of the money later. After that's figured out, I need to raise the money that will go towards our hotel... and that's where I need your help.

Like I previously said, I really want to stay at the Poly. I've never been there and I love the look of the atmosphere that I can see online. But I wouldn't mind staying at other resorts, so basically I've narrowed it down to:

Grand Floridian
Polynesian
Animal Kingdom Lodge
Boardwalk
Beach Club
Caribbean Beach

I'll be willing to just make it a lot easier on me and stay at a value resort, but I really want to make this trip as special as possible.

I'll update you guys as soon as possible... I guess next is deciding on a resort so I know exactly how much I need to raise. If you have any unique money raising/saving ideas, that would be great! All I'm doing at the moment is putting money aside from each and every paycheck I get, as well as cutting back on driving and eating...

 

[dramaqueenemj22]

Heyy. Sounds good so far, I'll be subbing and can't wait to keep reading.

 

[carly3592]

Haha thanks!!!! I'm excited to really start planning stuff...and getting the money haha

 

[carly3592]

CHAPTER TWO: I NEED MONEY!!!

Ok, so basically I need to think of creative ways to raise quite a bit of money. I'm 18 so I don't have an actual career, just a part time job that pays minimum wage. I'm planning on working a whole lot over the summer, but here's my "guideline" of what I need to do:

By Aug. 31, 2010, I would like to have raised $2000 for the cruise (I won't freak out if I don't have all of that money by then, but August is when I plan on telling my parents and my DBF's parents about the trip. In order for them to really take me seriously, I'd like to have a large sum of money saved up so they know I'm committed to raising my own money).

By Dec. 31, 2010, I would like to have raised an additional $2000-$2500 (this number will vary depending on which resort I plan to stay at. I'd also like to possibly add on airfare to this so I can get the plane tickets ASAP. Again, I don't need to have ALL of this raised, but at least most).

By May 15, 2011, I would like to have raised an additional $500 (This will be for the park tickets: two 4-day water park& more tickets).

And that should cover all of the major expenses! And here's what I have planned now for raising money, and PLEASE feel free to add on suggestions:

-Obviously I'm putting money aside from each and every paycheck. I can't put all of it towards the trip because I need food & gas money... for the rest of the school year my paycheck varies between $80-$130. I have very few hours during the school year cuz I'm so dang busy, but during the summer it should jump to about $250-$330.

-I'm having at least one tag sale: one Memorial Day weekend and one possibly after WDW this July.

-I have a lot of items that I can sell on eBay, and I have a few items that could sell for a couple hundred a piece (one can get me $1500). They're musical instruments though, so would I get a better price for them on eBay or should I take them to a music shop and sell them there???

-I'm thinking of small things like lemonade stands over the summer (I'm 18 but hey, lemonade is lemonade).

-And, of course, saving gift money from events like graduation and Christmas.

I'll update you guys on my Great and Amazing Money Saving Adventure.

 

[carly3592]

I'll have a separate chapter for hotels way later when I narrow it down to 2 or 3..... so you can all help me in the meantime!!!

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2456695