For those of you just joining in the fun, you might want to do some preparatory reading. 
I posted my summer trip report, "Disney without Bloodshed," in NINE installments. If you read it and think that you have the intestinal fortitude to continue, then please join me for the latest adventure!
*****************
Chelley's Disney Trip
November 14-23, 2000
PRE-TRIP REPORT
As those of you who "know" me realize, I like to plan, plan, plan! So, I started planning this adventure in January or February. What initially began as a five-day trip to Walt Disney World soon grew to a 10-day, 9-night extravaganza. I kid you not: I must have changed reservations about 10 times before I arrived on Nov. 14.
This past summer, I thought that everything was set. I would be at the BoardWalk Villas for five nights, then at the Grand Floridian for four.
Then, this summer, we went to WDW, where I made the mistake of taking my husband to see the Wilderness Lodge. I had stayed there before, but he had not--and he LOVED it.
So, when I returned home, I called CRO. The WL was booked for our dates. Rats! (No offense to Mickey and Minnie!)
Nevertheless, lo and behold, in late August I learned that the Villas at the Wilderness Lodge would open early--on Nov. 15, instead of in January, as originally planned. I called and was able to secure a reservation for a one-bedroom villa for opening day and the following days. (However, I had already booked airfare for a Nov. 14th departure, and that left the night of the 14th! ACK! Back to the drawing board.)
Then, as fate would have it, I realized that I qualified for the government rate at the Swan and Dolphin Resorts (a hot topic of discussion on the DIS Resorts Board), so I began to modify the trip plans. I also learned about Entertainment card rates as I became an expert on the resorts.
Finally, my reservations were set: the night of Nov. 14 at the Swan, on to the VWL for four nights, then back to the Swan for four more nights. I was NOT excited about moving twice, but my husband really wanted to stay at the WL, and I was excited about being among the first guests. Meanwhile, I had learned quite a bit about the Swan and Dolphin Resorts and was eager to stay in the Epcot area.
Naturally, I had been planning the trip for months, so I became frantic: I had to reschedule priority seatings based on new locations, had to update my itinerary, etc. (My trip binders are works of art. Actually, they are a little scary for the non-Disney-obsessed and/or the non-anal-retentive, but they work for me!)
At some point, my best friend of 20+ years decided that she and her son would also go to WDW in November, so that we could be there together. She basically told me that she could go Nov. 18-23, and left all her plans up to me. Now, I am the turbo-planner, but the pressure was on!
I had already booked lots of special activities far in advance (the chef's table at Victoria and Albert's, the Pirates' Cruise, the Wonderland Tea Party, the Grand Adventures in Cooking). I was also able to book the infamous Cindy's breakfast. I was on a trip-planning roll!
Meanwhile, DISer "dt" had invited my family to join her and her husband on an IllumiNations Cruise, and I had also made plans to meet a couple of other friends from the boards. I was getting excited about the trip, while my husband worried about meeting people who might or might not be ax murderers. He does NOT understand my addiction to the DIS! (All my DIS friends turned out to be wonderful people, as I knew they would. Sorry to dampen the suspense factor!)
My daughter (often known as "Chicken Girl" for her enthusiasm about thrill rides--JUST FORGET IT. She's NOT going to ride!) kept telling me to put up our usual countdown calendar, but I didn't have time!
For whatever reason, I had scheduled this trip to begin on the last day of the academic quarter. (I teach at a university.) Therefore, I was in panic mode the weekend before, trying to get finals graded, grades averaged, laundry washed, bags packed. Yikes!
Eventually, I did get everything done!
Join me for the trip--details to follow.
[This message was edited by Chelley on 11-26-00 at 02:47 AM.]
I posted my summer trip report, "Disney without Bloodshed," in NINE installments. If you read it and think that you have the intestinal fortitude to continue, then please join me for the latest adventure!*****************
Chelley's Disney Trip
November 14-23, 2000
PRE-TRIP REPORT
As those of you who "know" me realize, I like to plan, plan, plan! So, I started planning this adventure in January or February. What initially began as a five-day trip to Walt Disney World soon grew to a 10-day, 9-night extravaganza. I kid you not: I must have changed reservations about 10 times before I arrived on Nov. 14.
This past summer, I thought that everything was set. I would be at the BoardWalk Villas for five nights, then at the Grand Floridian for four.
Then, this summer, we went to WDW, where I made the mistake of taking my husband to see the Wilderness Lodge. I had stayed there before, but he had not--and he LOVED it.
So, when I returned home, I called CRO. The WL was booked for our dates. Rats! (No offense to Mickey and Minnie!)
Nevertheless, lo and behold, in late August I learned that the Villas at the Wilderness Lodge would open early--on Nov. 15, instead of in January, as originally planned. I called and was able to secure a reservation for a one-bedroom villa for opening day and the following days. (However, I had already booked airfare for a Nov. 14th departure, and that left the night of the 14th! ACK! Back to the drawing board.)
Then, as fate would have it, I realized that I qualified for the government rate at the Swan and Dolphin Resorts (a hot topic of discussion on the DIS Resorts Board), so I began to modify the trip plans. I also learned about Entertainment card rates as I became an expert on the resorts.
Finally, my reservations were set: the night of Nov. 14 at the Swan, on to the VWL for four nights, then back to the Swan for four more nights. I was NOT excited about moving twice, but my husband really wanted to stay at the WL, and I was excited about being among the first guests. Meanwhile, I had learned quite a bit about the Swan and Dolphin Resorts and was eager to stay in the Epcot area.
Naturally, I had been planning the trip for months, so I became frantic: I had to reschedule priority seatings based on new locations, had to update my itinerary, etc. (My trip binders are works of art. Actually, they are a little scary for the non-Disney-obsessed and/or the non-anal-retentive, but they work for me!)
At some point, my best friend of 20+ years decided that she and her son would also go to WDW in November, so that we could be there together. She basically told me that she could go Nov. 18-23, and left all her plans up to me. Now, I am the turbo-planner, but the pressure was on!
I had already booked lots of special activities far in advance (the chef's table at Victoria and Albert's, the Pirates' Cruise, the Wonderland Tea Party, the Grand Adventures in Cooking). I was also able to book the infamous Cindy's breakfast. I was on a trip-planning roll!
Meanwhile, DISer "dt" had invited my family to join her and her husband on an IllumiNations Cruise, and I had also made plans to meet a couple of other friends from the boards. I was getting excited about the trip, while my husband worried about meeting people who might or might not be ax murderers. He does NOT understand my addiction to the DIS! (All my DIS friends turned out to be wonderful people, as I knew they would. Sorry to dampen the suspense factor!)
My daughter (often known as "Chicken Girl" for her enthusiasm about thrill rides--JUST FORGET IT. She's NOT going to ride!) kept telling me to put up our usual countdown calendar, but I didn't have time!
For whatever reason, I had scheduled this trip to begin on the last day of the academic quarter. (I teach at a university.) Therefore, I was in panic mode the weekend before, trying to get finals graded, grades averaged, laundry washed, bags packed. Yikes!
Eventually, I did get everything done!
Join me for the trip--details to follow.
[This message was edited by Chelley on 11-26-00 at 02:47 AM.]
