The Grand Fiesta 10th Anniversary Trip - Pre-trip Final Update 8/10 About This Page:

[Colexis Mom]

<font color="blue"> Okay, since I'm now down to about 31 days (from 500 [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/whistling2.gif[/img] ) I thought I had better start this now (since it's a long pre-trip [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif[/img] )! And away we go.........

The Travelers:
Marnie: Age 37, 13th trip to Disney (hopefully not unlucky 13), 1st Disney Cruise
DH Matt: Age: One Month Shy of 40, 7th trip to Disney with me, 1st Disney Cruise
DD Alexa: Age 7, 6th trip to Disney, 1st Disney Cruise
DS Colin: Age 4, 6th trip to Disney, 1st Disney Cruise

Pre-Trip Report:

I’m trying to think back as to how this whole trip came about, as it’s been in the planning for years. We made our first trip to Disney in May 2003 and really caught the Disney bug. We’ve taken 4 additional trips since the first and have become Disney addicts! Of course, I can’t think of a better place to spend a vacation when you have kids. Luckily Matt feels the same way! We were looking to do something BIG for our 10th Wedding Anniversary [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/toast.gif[/img] Yes, it was 10 short years ago that we were married [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/love.gif[/img] Where did the time go [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/questionicon.gif[/img]


Since we had Disney fever we decided to do Disney BIG TIME for our anniversary. Of course when we go to Disney it’s for 8 to 10 days, and we could never leave the kids for that long. Since they are now both Disney freaks themselves, we’d never get away with it either [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/082502no_prv.gif[/img] Almost every day, Colin asks me if there are people at AKL right now and he gets very distressed when I tell him yes [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif[/img] Apparently he thinks it opens just for him [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] And then there’s Alexa……who mopes when she can’t stay at the BC. Such monsters we’ve created, and so young [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img] Since this was going to be a Grand Fiesta, we really wanted to try a cruise. What a perfect opportunity! I was nervous going with a 7 day cruise since we’ve never cruised before, and having read that the 3 night cruises are really too short we settled on a 4 night cruise. With that decided, we needed to figure out what type of cabin to choose. Matt would have chosen the Walter E. Disney suite if I’d let him. That’s why I control the finances in the family [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/082502yes_prv.gif[/img] We (Matt) decided a category 6 stateroom so we (he) could have a verandah. Matt had two other requests: a room that didn’t connect and the verandah had to have a plexi-glass railing and not steel all around. I read thru my Passporter Cruise Guide and checked some sites online so as not to disappoint him. After checking the calendar to figure out when we could cruise, as well as checking costs, we settled on late August. Right in the smack dab of hurricane season [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rain.gif[/img] Hopefully this summer won’t be a repeat of the last two years (a girl can hope, can’t she [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] )! Maureen booked the cruise for us [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/thanx.gif[/img] and she got us everything we (rather Matt) asked for. We ended up with cabin 6562 and booked it in February 2005! Only 500 days to go [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif[/img] Thank goodness I had other Disney trips in the works to keep me busy!


Little by little I started paying off the cruise during the summer of 2005. I was debating whether I was going to quit work completely or go to 30 hours (in which I’d lose all my benefits) so I wasn’t sure what our finances were going to be like in the next year. I wanted the cruise paid off because I was not going to cancel or skimp on that! Since we were also planning 8 to 10 days in the parks I bought Annual Pass vouchers that summer as well. Matt was none the wiser since I pay all the bills [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] I had two big chunks of the trip paid off a year in advance [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/woot.gif[/img] Now that’s planning [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/082502yes_prv.gif[/img] At the end of August my company announced it was closing our office and relocating to Greenville, SC. Ah, no thanks [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/082502no_prv.gif[/img] Actually not bad news for me because I would get a nice big severance check instead of walking away with nothing! My job was supposed to end June 2006, but has been pushed out until December (and now thankfully brought back in to the end of September). At least I’ll still be working when the big bill comes in for this vacation! I decided to go back to full time (part time wasn’t due to take effect until September anyway) so that I could get a bigger severance and I’d be able to keep my benefits (health and dental) for a year after I’m severed. The benefits part was worth more to me since I carry them right now for the family at a much cheaper rate than Matt’s company.


Coming up Next……….Will I ever get motivated to plan the rest of the trip?? </font>

<font color="blue"> I've started the official trip report. Here's a link to the first thread The Grand Fiesta 10th Anniversary Trip Report - THREAD 1 Updated 9/11

Here's a link to THREAD 2 The Grand Fiesta 10th Anniversary Trip Report - THREAD 2 Day 8 Part 2 Updated 9/28

Here is the link to THREAD 3 The Grand Fiesta 10th Anniversary Trip Report - THREAD 3 REPORT COMPLETE Updated 11/6

Here is the link to THREAD 4 The Grand Fiesta 10th Anniversary Trip Report - Cruise Part THREAD 4 COMPLETED Updated 10/18
</font>

[Jillybean]

Gosh Marnie! It seems like yesterday when you posted that humongous countdown! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

I love reading about all of the planning and I am so glad that your job situation is working out for you (although I would have love to have you in SC [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]).

More please!

Jill

[WishIwasinDisney]

Wow, time flies! I can't wait for your trip report. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[chezp]

Great start Marnie - I can't believe how quickly this trip is coming round now! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/jawdrop.gif[/img]

[kimkdmm]

Yay Marnie...I'm so glad you started your trip report!! I [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/love.gif[/img] your trip reports, and got so many great tips and ideas for our trip reading them [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
I hope you have a wonderful, magic filled Anniversary trip, and I'm looking forward to reading all about it!!

[debsta922]

Great start Marnie! You will love the Verandah... it's definitly worth it!

[karmic]

Great start,Marnie!

[DrDolphin]

Great start Marnie!!!

[disneyfan2183]

Great start, I've really been lookin forward to reading about your trip.

[Tara O'Hara]

Excellent start, Marnie!! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif[/img] It's really coming!! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/woot.gif[/img]

[lynbarsim]

Great start! You're trip is just around the corner. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/woot.gif[/img]

[lindawdw]

Great start to your pre-trip report Marnie! It sounds like the perfect vacation (hopefully no hurricanes!). We'll be cruising the end of August to Bermuda and I'm nervous about hurricane season, but it's out of our control so let's hope for the best. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] Can't wait to hear all about your plans. Hurry Back.

[TinkerBelz]

Yea another trip report from Marnie! I'm excited [img]http://smileys.*************.com/cat/4/4_1_210.gif[/img]

[Caldercup]

13 is a lucky number! My 13th trip sure was fun!!

I know yours will be fantastic and I'm so looking forward to reading this trip report...
Eileen

[ariel14]

Great update!
Way to go having your trip
paid off! Now that's planning!