Grumpygal's Solo Summer Sojourn (6/5 - 6/13) Last Day Finally Posted About This Page:

[Grumpygal]

Who? Me (age 31, 8th visit, 2nd solo visit)
When? June 5th to June 14th
Where? Port Orleans Riverside
Why? Just Because

Prologue

Again I suppose I should start with where the idea for this trip came about. During my last trip in December I started thinking about when my next trip should be. I thoroughly enjoyed my solo trip and came back feeling so refreshed and mellow that I was almost eager to embark on another solo trip. So even before I got home, I was already thinking that I might go back in June or July. I still had almost all of my vacation time from work left, which would have to be used by the end of July or I’d lose it.

But after I got home, a new trip quickly started being planned: a family trip for May 2004. Could I wait that long to go back to the World? Probably. So now the question again was what should I do with the vacation time I had left. I started kicking around other ideas, but as a woman traveling alone there aren’t a lot of places where I feel totally comfortable and safe. So the idea of Disney popped up again. I knew there I would feel perfectly comfortable since being at Disney is like being at home. And the idea was born, again.

I did things in a little bit of a backwards order this time. I used the codes to get a good deal on Port Orleans Riverside and put a hold on the room. Then I asked for the time off of work. I don’t usually do that. In the past I had always made sure I got off of work first then went ahead. [img]graemlins/ukid.gif[/img] Of course this is the first time that I am doing all of the booking on my own. (Thanks to Jennifer and Dave and all my Passporter friends for all the good tips and ideas.) So I didn’t have to worry about working through the travel agent and dealing with those deadlines. I could just keep track of it myself.

After I knew I had off of work, which ended up being no problem, I called the airline and booked my flight. I will usually only fly Midwest Express, now called Midwest Airlines. If you read my previous trip report you know that the chocolate chip cookies are to die for. [img]graemlins/yuma.gif[/img] My motto: if Midwest doesn’t go there, I don’t really need to go there either. Luckily for me, Midwest flies to Orlando. I was able to get a flight for $247, which I was pretty happy about. Which got even better a week later when the airfare went down $25 and I got a credit for that to be used on a future flight.

I then called down and made my deposit on my room and made my special requests. I wanted a non-smoking room which is the only real non-negotiable. I asked for Alligator Bayou building 14 or 15 and if possible I would like a corner room. Hey, if you’re going to go making requests, might as well throw it all out there. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] So now all my big things were taken care of, except for the tickets. I decided I would get an annual pass. Why not, I’ll be back there in May 2004 and it’ll still be good then. I’ll really be getting my money’s worth. So now all I have to do is get to the DS to get the annual pass.

Now came the fun part: the planning. I can plan and re-plan with the best of them so I just went with it. Although this time I did decide to try to work with the budget chart. I planned out some meals and how much I thought I would be spending. At about 90 days out I called and made a couple of PS’s and will wait patiently (yeah right) [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img] for the 60-day mark to make the rest.

March 15, 2003: 82 days out and I finally felt better after being off of work almost week with some nasty flu bug. I did hop on the boards for a little while to catch up and saw the new codes posted. Well, I just had to try my hand at applying them to my existing reservation. Sure enough I was able to apply the new code and ended up saving a little over $100. Big bonus for me. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

April 5, 2003: 31 days out and my sister got a postcard in the mail with even better rates. So I figured might as well call and try it. The worst that can happen is they can say no you can’t use it. After I figured out what the pin number on the card was I was able to use the new code. It was for $74 per night. I ended up saving another $200 on my room. I’ll have to buy her a nice gift in thanks.

April 12, 2003: 54 days out and I called to make my PS for the Plaza Restaurant in the MK. Got a 12:00 seating. Now I think I’ve taken care of all the PS that I’m going to make prior to leaving.

April 23, 2003: 43 days out and I called Disney and ordered my Annual Pass. The voucher will be received in 7-10 business days. I’m much more comfortable paying the $3.00 postage on this and getting it directly from them as opposed to taking my chances on the Disney Store. I have more control over it this way. The AP rates finally came out on Monday, but they are the same as what I’m getting with the postcard so I don’t have to worry about changing it.

May 1, 2003: 35 days out and I got my AP in the mail and am pretty well set for everything now. [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

Coming up June 5 Day 1: Are We There Yet? Are We There Yet?

[ 08-11-2003, 09:57 AM: Message edited by: Grumpygal ]

[tikibird]

Congrats on the solo trip, and the great rate on the room!

Loved the timeline feature and can't wait to hear all about your adventures! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[LindaR]

Can't wait to read the rest of your trip report! I like the "solo" aspect of it. I like to see the world thru different eyes! [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[chezp]

Great start - I loved the countdown idea and am eagerly looking forward to the next installment! [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[PS - I LUV WDW]

Great start! Can't wait for more!!!

[dsnytina]

Grumpygal:
Wish I could convince my DH that I need to go solo at WDW! Great beginning with the countdown...where do y'all get those codes you always talk about. I know Jean, the former guru has left, so do you still get them here?
Tina [img]graemlins/usa.gif[/img]

[luvnwdwgal]

Great start Joy!! Someday I'm just going to HAVE to take a solo trip!! Looking forward to the next installment! [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Grumpygal]

Tina
You can still get the codes here because I'm sure someone will post them. If not you can always check www.mousesavers.com for them. That's where I always periodically check for things like that.

[Grumpygal]

June 5 Day 1 Part 1...Are We There Yet? Are We There Yet?

Well here we are the morning of departure. I got up at 6:15 or so, so I could take my mom to the bus stop to catch the bus to work. I would later pick her up at work and we would drop me off at the airport and then she would have the car to come home. It may seem a little convoluted to do it that way. But it works for us. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

This is where I step into the weird time continuum or something. It doesn’t matter what time I start getting ready I will never be ready at the time I think I will. [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img] Something happens to the time and it gets sucked into some black hole and I lose at least a half an hour of time in my preparations. Someday I’ll figure out what happens to that lost time. It’s probably in the same place as all of my lost socks in the dryer. So I get dressed and ready and start my packing around 8:30 or so, that should be more than enough time since I don’t have to leave the house until 10 or so. This trip was a little easier to pack for since I didn’t need as wide a range of clothes as I did in December. All I needed to do was pack warm weather clothes and I was set. Even with that, the suitcase was close to bulging when I was done and I am not an over packer by any means. [img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

Then it was time to pack the carry-on with the important stuff. You know the PassPorter, CD player and CD’s. I was also throwing in my carry-on all of that last minute stuff that didn’t make it into the suitcase. It didn’t matter what went in there as long as there was still room for the two containers of butterhorns and the bag of Chex Mix. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] So there I was all packed and ready to go and it was 10:15. The actual time that I had to leave the house. I did pretty well this time. So here’s a note to my family and everyone else who knows my penchant for being late – I can be on time sometimes. As long as the time black hole doesn’t eat too much time.

I left and drove downtown to pick up mom and we were off to the airport. I got there a little past 11, which wasn’t bad at all since my flight was at 12:50. I said good-bye to mom and headed in to the terminal to check in. I guess my timing didn’t matter at all since as I was checking in they told me the flight was delayed. [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img] Now I’m having flashbacks to the December trip when the flight was delayed 2 ½ hours. Since I’m not overly fond of flying, the idea of a long delay is really off-putting, especially when your destination is Disney. But it ended up only being a ½ hour delay – no big deal. I went upstairs, went through security with no problem and got to my gate and found that I was the first one there. I did pull out a book to read to pass the time and for a change time worked on my side and it didn’t seem to move too slowly.

We boarded the plane a little after 1:00 and they said that they would try to make up the time caused by the late departure. I think we would have done it too if we hadn’t had to fly around bad weather. We ended up heading over the Gulf and flying directly east from Tampa. It was a different view, not that I looked out of the window too often – you know not being fond of flying. [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] The flight was pretty uneventful. I ate my delicious chocolate chip cookies [img]graemlins/yuma.gif[/img] and slept through some of the flight. We landed in Orlando a little before 5:00. I was one of the first people off of the plan since I had been sitting in row 2 by the window. The further up in the front of the plane the sooner I can get off and the happier I am.

Coming soon: Day 1 Part 2...Yes We Are! Yes We Are!

[luvnwdwgal]

Oh Boy, Here We Goooooo!!!!!!!! [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Grumpygal]

June 5, Day 1 Part 2

My luggage was the 2nd bag off the carousel. [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img] That’s never happened to me before. I usually have to wait and wait and wait. That was a nice surprise since I was more than ready to get to my resort. I looked around for my driver from Tiffany Town Car but didn’t see him right away. I started to call and check on it, but then saw him coming. He said that they were showing the flight as coming in at 5:30 for the longest time, but he thought he would come and check on it, which was good since we landed before the posted time. We then went outside where I waited for Gill to bring the car. It was my first step outside in Orlando and I was just sitting on the bench basking in the heat. While it wasn’t really sunny out it was in the 80’s and I loved it. [img]graemlins/love.gif[/img] Especially since it was only in the upper 50’s when I left home.

We got to Port Orleans Riverside and it was like coming home for me. Bell Services took my bags for me and held them while I was checking in. There was absolutely no line at all to check in. I was able to walk right up to the counter and check in. Not only that, but the process went faster than I had ever had it go before. I got my room assignment – 1526, which is in the Alligator Bayou building 15. That was what I had requested and I got it with no problem even checking in at 5:30 in the afternoon. I went back outside to Bell Services to get my bags and my ride to my room and we were off. It started to drizzle on my way to my room, but I didn’t care; it was in the 80’s and I was at Disney. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] (This attitude will change slightly sometimes as the week went on.)

I got to my room and unpacked fairly quickly. By now it’s about 6:00. This was record time for me from the airport to checking in to being unpacked in my room in an hour. What are the odds that that will ever happen again? [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img] After I unpacked I strolled around the grounds some after it had stopped raining. Then it was back to the room to grab some cash to get dinner. I went to the food court and got a Philly Cheese steak fully loaded and fries and took it back to my room to eat it. It was really quite tasty. But then again I was so hungry it really wouldn’t have mattered. I also bought a new refillable mug since it had a different design than my old one. One odd occurrence was the two ladies in front of me complaining about having to wait for their order from the food court. They thought it should be done quicker and that they should have the burgers already cooked and waited to be picked up rather than making them as you order them. [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] I’m sorry. I would much rather have the burger or whatever I’m getting as freshly made as I can get it even if it means I have to wait longer rather than have it sitting there for who knows how long.

I decided not to go out tonight – I wanted to be fresh for tomorrow. I set the alarm and arranged for a wake-up call from Mickey. Hopefully my timing will be good and it really will be Mickey. I do want to get a little bit of an early start tomorrow so I have enough time to stop at Guest Relations to take care of the exchange voucher for my AP. So it was an early night for me so I will be well rested and ready for my Magic Kingdom adventure tomorrow.

The weather today was…nice & hot when we landed
The best thing today was…finally getting to Disney & getting settled in my room
The worst thing today was…the flight being delayed a little
The funniest thing today was…the two ladies in front of me complaining about food court service
Today I tried…a Philly Cheese steak for dinner
And the result was…quite good – even better than I had expected
The most magical moment today was…being able to check in & get to my room in less than 10 minutes

Coming Soon: June 6 Day 2...The Adventure Begins

[Jessica]

I can't wait to read more! [img]graemlins/wavin.gif[/img]

[Tigger's Mom]

Great start! I can't wait to hear about your day at MK!

Also, how cool to get all your checking in/settling in done so quickly! Good for you!

[luvnwdwgal]

Great start! Can't wait to read about your adventures in MK! [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]