I'm going crazy!

[copcarguyp71]

We do WDW every other year and on the alternate years we do either OCMD or a Caribbean vacation. Even though WDW is awesome it is nice to mix things up a
bit. We subscribe to travelzoo.com and they send great travel deals nationwide as well as caribbean and europe right to your email. I know this is blasphemy on this site but just a thought to promote harmony in the household while saving a few bucks!

 

[timoteo]

We are really trying to go places other than Disney. But if my partner ever started preventing me from Disney that would be deal breaker and grounds for divorce. The price of admission on my ride is a love of either Disneyland or world

 

[Hoop Raeb]

There's an 8 day cruise out of New York to the Bahamas on May 25th on the Disney Magic. Saves you the flight down to Florida (and the obvious temptation to veer the car into the TTC parking lot).

 

[fractal]

thanks for the tips everyone. It's not that I'm against going other places, I was just shocked at the prices.

I have shopped around. Now looks like we are going to rent a 2BR suite for a week in the Florida Keys - at a very reasonable price.


Once i finalize that, I can start to plan out trip to WDW in 2013.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

thanks for the tips everyone. It's not that I'm against going other places, I was just shocked at the prices.

I have shopped around. Now looks like we are going to rent a 2BR suite for a week in the Florida Keys - at a very reasonable price.


Once i finalize that, I can start to plan out trip to WDW in 2013.

LOVE the Keys :sohappy: We've had great trips to Key West and truly love Islamorada (probably b/c we're big saltwater fishing people). If you didn't post this, I was also going to suggest Grand Teton & Yellowstone...cannot wait for our girls to get a little bit older so we can take them. Although, the selfish part of me is sad that we won't be seeing a WDW trip report from you for a while. Oh well- have a blast in the Keys :wave:

 

[Tigger#1]

I would love to see Yellostone Park someday but so far the 3 day drive to get there has turned us off. Actually the drive has turned us off of a lot of places if I'm gonna drive 800 miles is any direction I might as well see the mouse. Besides we haven't found anywhere besides the Fort and Disney that has a weeks worth of entertainment all in one place.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I would love to see Yellostone Park someday but so far the 3 day drive to get there has turned us off. Actually the drive has turned us off of a lot of places if I'm gonna drive 800 miles is any direction I might as well see the mouse. Besides we haven't found anywhere besides the Fort and Disney that has a weeks worth of entertainment all in one place.

When we went (pre-kids), we flew into Jackson, WY (aka Jackson Hole)...which is cool just b/c you fly in right along the mountains. Of course with the price of air these days...we might consider doing it as an RV trip if we were to return. The entry gate into Grand Teton National Park is only a few miles from the airport. You're only about 60 or so miles south of the south entrance to Yellowstone at this point, plus it's a nice drive going through Grand Teton. What's funny is that there really isn't traditional (or even non-traditional) entertainment in Yellowstone, but it actually enhances the experience.

When we went, the Old Faithful area was the only part that had a cell tower (this has changed), but the whole place just feels so isolated from the outside world...i.e. no tvs, internet, etc. We went just after Hurricane Katrina hit and many of the people who were doing backwoods hiking or had been there a while had no clue. As for entertainment...at night- DH and I would go out onto our cabin porch or the porch at the hotel or lodge ... have a few drinks... play cards, listen to the wildlife, and just talk. I know- sounds like nothing...it's just amazing how much you unwind when so much of the normal world is left behind.

 

[ml123_9]

thanks for the tips everyone. It's not that I'm against going other places, I was just shocked at the prices.

I have shopped around. Now looks like we are going to rent a 2BR suite for a week in the Florida Keys - at a very reasonable price.


Once i finalize that, I can start to plan out trip to WDW in 2013.

Well, wherever you decide to go, just make sure to write us a trip report.

I understand the wife thing, she enjoys Disney, but gets tired of me ranting about it all the time. She loves how the kids love it. Even the 1 year old had a blast last year. We too, though, are skipping Disney this year. We might go over for a MK day while we are in Daytona.

 

[TRIFORCE89]

Well, I asked my husband if we could go to France and he said, "sure, I love France! And, while we're at it we'll go to Morocco, Italy, Mexico; in fact, we'll visit ALL the EPCOT countries!":ROFLOL:

You know what? I'm convinced.

If you got to France, set aside a couple of days for Disneyland Paris. He should get his Disney fix there

 

[fractal]

LOVE the Keys :sohappy: We've had great trips to Key West and truly love Islamorada (probably b/c we're big saltwater fishing people). If you didn't post this, I was also going to suggest Grand Teton & Yellowstone...cannot wait for our girls to get a little bit older so we can take them. Although, the selfish part of me is sad that we won't be seeing a WDW trip report from you for a while. Oh well- have a blast in the Keys :wave:

Looks like we will be going to Islamorada! We've never been to the Keys, but I know my son would love to go fishing.

 

[fractal]

Well, wherever you decide to go, just make sure to write us a trip report.

I understand the wife thing, she enjoys Disney, but gets tired of me ranting about it all the time. She loves how the kids love it. Even the 1 year old had a blast last year. We too, though, are skipping Disney this year. We might go over for a MK day while we are in Daytona.

I'll be sure to take plenty of pictures!

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Hey fractal! Was just reading my newest Travel+Leisure. Saw an add for a couple new Hard Rock resorts coming soon to I think it said Cabo and Vallarta. I know Mexico prob'ly isn't your first choice of destination for obvious reasons but if they're opening up new they might have some good deals. :wave:

Also, not as exotic as the Caribbean by far, but there's a Margaritaville resort that opened in Pensacola, Florida a year or two back. Looks nice. The beaches there are gorgeous and there's stuff to do in the vicinity. My brother says the "it" place for the high-rollers on the Gulf coast nowadays is Destin, Florida. He's been lots in recent years. I'm not so much of a beach girl so it sounds like misery to me. LOL! There's lots of shopping, nice places, and plenty to do.

We'll be in Key West next month! :wave: That's our first port on our 5-day cruise on the Magic. Key West is what we booked that itinerary for. I've had the boys read 'The Old Man & the Sea' and started them on some Jimmy Buffett to prep. I'm so excited! I haven't been to the keys since I was 4 which, obviously, I remember very little of. :lol:

 

[Stellajack]

If you got to France, set aside a couple of days for Disneyland Paris. He should get his Disney fix there

That is definitely the plan when we finally go!

 

[fractal]

Hey fractal! Was just reading my newest Travel+Leisure. Saw an add for a couple new Hard Rock resorts coming soon to I think it said Cabo and Vallarta. I know Mexico prob'ly isn't your first choice of destination for obvious reasons but if they're opening up new they might have some good deals. :wave:

Also, not as exotic as the Caribbean by far, but there's a Margaritaville resort that opened in Pensacola, Florida a year or two back. Looks nice. The beaches there are gorgeous and there's stuff to do in the vicinity. My brother says the "it" place for the high-rollers on the Gulf coast nowadays is Destin, Florida. He's been lots in recent years. I'm not so much of a beach girl so it sounds like misery to me. LOL! There's lots of shopping, nice places, and plenty to do.

We'll be in Key West next month! :wave: That's our first port on our 5-day cruise on the Magic. Key West is what we booked that itinerary for. I've had the boys read 'The Old Man & the Sea' and started them on some Jimmy Buffett to prep. I'm so excited! I haven't been to the keys since I was 4 which, obviously, I remember very little of. :lol:

Thanks for the tips! It looks like we are heading for the Keys. First time for all of us. Great idea to have the kids read "The Old Man and the Sea". We will likely be making a day trip to Key West. I've always wanted to tour the Hemingway House.

Have fun on your cruise! Can't wait for the trip report.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Thanks for the tips! It looks like we are heading for the Keys. First time for all of us. Great idea to have the kids read "The Old Man and the Sea". We will likely be making a day trip to Key West. I've always wanted to tour the Hemingway House.

Have fun on your cruise! Can't wait for the trip report.

Lol! Yeah, we read 'The Old Man and the Sea' which the boys were happy about since it's fishing and all. Reviews I've read about the Hemingway House itself aren't the best. Most say it's pretty dull/boring except the cats. We read about Earnest Hemingway also and discussed his amazing life extensively. Thats when I figured we had covered our bases considering his time in Key West wasn't really that significantly long. So, I switched gears & started having them read Jimmy Buffett's 'Tales From Margaritaville'. I figured they'd digest the short stories well and appreciate the creative mind that is still a living, self-made person. I'm sure we'll hit Margaritaville in Key West to be able to see the original and try to find places Jimmy talks about in his writings & music. Fun stuff. Sparking the imagination while appreciating a literary great cant be can't be a bad thing, right?!?!

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Looks like we will be going to Islamorada! We've never been to the Keys, but I know my son would love to go fishing.

Sweeeeeeet!!! :sohappy: If you do go fishing, find out which of the local restaurants will cook your catch. It's been a while since I've been down there, but I remember there being a few restaurants on Islamorada that offered this service. In some cases, I think even the charter captains will bring over the fish so you just can go and eat. :slurp:

I remember from your TR that you did the dive experience in Epcot. Obviously, there are a number of dive options in the area as well as glass bottom boats. One of my fave things in the area is off of Key Largo and is called Christ of the Abyss. Either way, John Pennekamp State Park is pretty cool for diving and snorkeling and it's not too bad of a drive from Islamorada. Speaking of Key Largo...you can also see the African Queen there...so a little bit of movie history in the Keys.

I also don't know why it sucks us in, but for whatever reason- we find 7 Mile Bridge to be pretty cool. It's also not too horribly far.

We've stayed at the Cheeca Lodge all of the times we've gone. I think the lodge still offers a golf course and I don't think you have to be a guest to play there, so if you guys are into golf...it's another thing to do.

I know we did Hemmingway Home in Key West. I also remember going to some museum where we saw a number of treasures pulled up from the nearby wreck. Of course, you need the obligatory photo at the Southernmost Point. :lol: I remember having a nice dinner at the Pier House. We also ate at this really neat restaurant called Turtle Kraals, but I remember hearing that it closed and reopened...and I don't know if it reopened in the same building. At the original spot there were various pools and water areas where you could see fish and other wildlife...I even recall a small pool of hammerheads (although it's been some time and the brain is pretty fuzzy these days :lol. In any event- it might be worth looking into.

Have an awesome trip!!! :wave:

 

[Tigger#1]

When we went (pre-kids), we flew into Jackson, WY (aka Jackson Hole)...which is cool just b/c you fly in right along the mountains. Of course with the price of air these days...we might consider doing it as an RV trip if we were to return. The entry gate into Grand Teton National Park is only a few miles from the airport. You're only about 60 or so miles south of the south entrance to Yellowstone at this point, plus it's a nice drive going through Grand Teton. What's funny is that there really isn't traditional (or even non-traditional) entertainment in Yellowstone, but it actually enhances the experience.

When we went, the Old Faithful area was the only part that had a cell tower (this has changed), but the whole place just feels so isolated from the outside world...i.e. no tvs, internet, etc. We went just after Hurricane Katrina hit and many of the people who were doing backwoods hiking or had been there a while had no clue. As for entertainment...at night- DH and I would go out onto our cabin porch or the porch at the hotel or lodge ... have a few drinks... play cards, listen to the wildlife, and just talk. I know- sounds like nothing...it's just amazing how much you unwind when so much of the normal world is left behind.

It does look kool there but I don't go anywhere without the MH and my own bed so 6 days of driving for a 3 day vacation just isn't in the cards at this time. Maybe if I live long enough to retire with anything we can go then and make a roadtrip out of it:lol:
Besides we have one thing that makes it hard to just sit in the woods at a campground for a good time. We live in the country and can do that at home

 

[c-one]

Are you signed up for email bulletins from sites like Kayak and TripAdvisor? They can save you a lot of money! I don't know how long you're planning to stay...i'm guessing a week? But $15K does sound a bit steep.

About the issue though...all I gotta say is Good for your wife! lol. Seriously though, keep an open mind...there's so much to see in this beautiful world of ours and if you took a vacation to WDW every year you're going to miss out on it! WDW doesn't change that often, so every other year sounds reasonable if you guys are able to take a trip somewhere else on those years in between. My fiance (wife in 28 days yay!) and I love WDW and DL as much as anyone else on this site, but we have so many places we want to visit...and we don't want to have to wait until we're retired to start seeing them! If your wife is willing to go to WDW every other year, I say at the end of the day you're coming out ok!

We're taking a Disney Cruise for our honeymoon next month...but for our 2013 trip we're trying to decide between Yosemite and some of the other California National Parks, Banff Alberta, or Alaska. We also have on our list and in the works a trip to France (with a couple days at DLP of course), Italy and the Swiss Alps, and Nepal. We'll fit some trips to DL or WDW in between those of course!

Hear hear!

WDW is great, but do other stuff too. You'll be glad you did. World Showcase is my favorite part of WDW, but it's not the real thing. Which is okay! But the real thing is worth doing, too.

And to the OP -- you can find cheaper international trips than that. Keep looking!

 

[fractal]

Sweeeeeeet!!! :sohappy: If you do go fishing, find out which of the local restaurants will cook your catch. It's been a while since I've been down there, but I remember there being a few restaurants on Islamorada that offered this service. In some cases, I think even the charter captains will bring over the fish so you just can go and eat. :slurp:

I remember from your TR that you did the dive experience in Epcot. Obviously, there are a number of dive options in the area as well as glass bottom boats. One of my fave things in the area is off of Key Largo and is called Christ of the Abyss. Either way, John Pennekamp State Park is pretty cool for diving and snorkeling and it's not too bad of a drive from Islamorada. Speaking of Key Largo...you can also see the African Queen there...so a little bit of movie history in the Keys.

I also don't know why it sucks us in, but for whatever reason- we find 7 Mile Bridge to be pretty cool. It's also not too horribly far.

We've stayed at the Cheeca Lodge all of the times we've gone. I think the lodge still offers a golf course and I don't think you have to be a guest to play there, so if you guys are into golf...it's another thing to do.

I know we did Hemmingway Home in Key West. I also remember going to some museum where we saw a number of treasures pulled up from the nearby wreck. Of course, you need the obligatory photo at the Southernmost Point. :lol: I remember having a nice dinner at the Pier House. We also ate at this really neat restaurant called Turtle Kraals, but I remember hearing that it closed and reopened...and I don't know if it reopened in the same building. At the original spot there were various pools and water areas where you could see fish and other wildlife...I even recall a small pool of hammerheads (although it's been some time and the brain is pretty fuzzy these days :lol. In any event- it might be worth looking into.

Have an awesome trip!!! :wave:

Thanks for all the tips! Cheeca Lodge is where we are looking to book. The rooms look great.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

To fractal, you know, it isn't all that bad going to an all inclusive resort. My wife and I sort of have this unofficial deal together. We sort of swap trips and make one to be more relaxing while the other more "touristy".

In 2008 we went to Cuba for our honeymoon and relaxed the entire time.
In 2009 we did Orlando for two weeks and did all 4 WDW parks, Sea World and both Universal parks. Oh yeah, and Gatorland!
In 2010 we went to Disney again with my parents
Later in 2010 we did an all inclusive to Dominican
...................
...................
our son was born in April 2011
..............
..........
In November 2011 we did a three day trip to New York City which was my first time and her third
The plan this September is to go to Southern California in September 2012 with a part emphasis on Disneyland (our first time)
Then in 2013 we would love to take our son to WDW and maybe my mother in law (would be her first time too) just to share it with others

So there you go. A nice combination of relaxing vacations combined with ones where we are busier. I love both but, yeah, Disney is still #1. So cut a deal with the mrs.