Impulsive Disney World Trips

[Iris]

A few years ago I took a week off from work, with the intention of getting some things done around the house. I had absolutely no intention of going anywhere. I woke up the first morning (Saturday) around 8:00. Almost immediately the thought entered my head that I wished I had gone to Disney World. That seed grew quickly, and a few minutes later I decided that I was going to Disney World - TODAY!

At 8:30 I was on the phone with Disney Reservations, and got a room for five nights at All Star Music. By 9:00 I had called US Airways and got a seat on a 12:45 flight to Orlando. After a quick shower and some hurried packing, I ran out to the ATM for some cash, then called the local airport shuttle service, which picked me up at 11:00.

We landed in Orlando at 2:45. I took Mears and walked into All Star Music around 4:00. At the registration counter, I started laughing out loud, thinking to myself "I don’t believe you just did this". I had a great time, and there was an excitement during that trip that was different from the trips that I planned months in advance.

Has anyone else done a spur-of-the-moment trip?

 

[smk]

Wow! Good for you! I have taken trips that we have planned for five or six days in advance but never on the same day. The only thing we did that came close was decide one Saturday that we wanted to go the next weekend. I have fond memeories of that week, knowing that we were going so soon. Hope you had fun!

 

[Susan Savia]

Wow, thats amazing. I 'think' about doing something like that, but it never goes any further then that. We do other trips in the course of a year as well as a Disney trip. So we really never have longer then a few months at any time to wait to pack our suitcase again.

 

[cowanfamily]

Last July got some unexpected money. My wife asked what we should do with it. I told her I don't know about you but I'm going to WDW. The next morning I was driving down I-75. Spur of the moment trips are awesome.

 

[Master Yoda]

We do spur of the moment trips from time to time. Here is my trip report from the last one. http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?t=603004

 

[luvlifeinfl]

In past yrs I was a big planner and all of our trips were booked at 11 months out, but this yr with the economy we had not planned a trip. Just this past weekend my hubby said call see if we can get a villa in the next 30days, so I called on Sunday morning, booked a 1bdrm villa at BWV's and that night I was rushing to make ADR's, funny thing is I am usally counting down the days till I can make my ADR's. So for us that is been the closest to the spur of the moment.

Oh and Master Yoda you live like what 2hrs away?? LOL

 

[Master Yoda]

In past yrs I was a big planner and all of our trips were booked at 11 months out, but this yr with the economy we had not planned a trip. Just this past weekend my hubby said call see if we can get a villa in the next 30days, so I called on Sunday morning, booked a 1bdrm villa at BWV's and that night I was rushing to make ADR's, funny thing is I am usally counting down the days till I can make my ADR's. So for us that is been the closest to the spur of the moment.

Oh and Master Yoda you live like what 2hrs away?? LOL

About 2 and a half to 3 depending on traffic. It is just long enough to make day trips really taxing on the body. I rarely do them if I do not have the following day off.

 

[forevermickey]

This is awesome! I always dream of being able to do this. I have 3 dogs, ( 2 very senior and need extra care) and a 4 year old - so that quick of a decision is not doable right now! I hope one day to be able to do this - how exciting!

 

[YETI27]

A few years ago I took a week off from work, with the intention of getting some things done around the house. I had absolutely no intention of going anywhere. I woke up the first morning (Saturday) around 8:00. Almost immediately the thought entered my head that I wished I had gone to Disney World. That seed grew quickly, and a few minutes later I decided that I was going to Disney World - TODAY!

At 8:30 I was on the phone with Disney Reservations, and got a room for five nights at All Star Music. By 9:00 I had called US Airways and got a seat on a 12:45 flight to Orlando. After a quick shower and some hurried packing, I ran out to the ATM for some cash, then called the local airport shuttle service, which picked me up at 11:00.

We landed in Orlando at 2:45. I took Mears and walked into All Star Music around 4:00. At the registration counter, I started laughing out loud, thinking to myself "I don’t believe you just did this". I had a great time, and there was an excitement during that trip that was different from the trips that I planned months in advance.

Has anyone else done a spur-of-the-moment trip?

Iris, great story. The closest spur of the moment trip to Disney for me was actually a surprise from my wife for my birthday about 6 years ago. She picked me up from work and instead of going home we headed for I95 to begin the short 16 hour trip to WDW. What a surprise for me. I don't know how she didn't spill the beans. She got me good.

 

[Purple413]

Wow! We booked 5 days before once. We couldn't do day-of because we have a 16 hour drive, too!

 

[YETI27]

We do spur of the moment trips from time to time. Here is my trip report from the last one. http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?t=603004

Master Yoda, I think that it's awesome for you to be able to jump in your car and be at WDW in the time that it takes me and my family to hit the southern Jersey shore points. I am slowly convincing my family to move to Florida for that same reason. Imagine working all day and then jumping in the car and shooting over to WDW to grab a bite to eat and catch the fireworks. Oh well, I suppose one can only dream lol.

 

[bgraham34]

I have not done anything like that but would love too. Maybe one day I will get that chance. Awesome to hear that though.

 

[Xethis]

About 2 and a half to 3 depending on traffic. It is just long enough to make day trips really taxing on the body. I rarely do them if I do not have the following day off.

I hear ya on that one. I used to be stationed in Jax & my friends & I would take weekend trips to WDW at least twice a month. We got our WDW tickets cheap through the MWR office & would stay at the Orlando Navy base cheap also. Usually ended up at the 'old school' Pleasure Island the first night, then in the parks the next day. After about 2 years of this we started to dread the drive back.

 

[mtomkins]

Ooooh exciting! Not done that exactly but would love too! This trip in two weeks was sort of spur of the moment. My brother went with his girlfriend and I was super jealous. Knowing I had an extra week of vacation later in the summer I basically called my mom and sister and my trip was booked within the hour of finding out my brother was going. Definitely no planning on that part and spur of the moment. Only planned part was calling work and making sure when I could go!

I would love to have a long weekend and just up & go! I still have a vacation day so I'm thinking I just need to take it one day and go! Want to go for my birthday in December and due to black out retail dates I cant exactly take a vacation or plan one till I get my monthly schedule. So it's still not quite the same but I think co,e december I may have a financially budgeted in trip that is planned on that in "just in awe" but wont be able to book or make a decision until last minute! You've inspired me though!

 

[Master Yoda]

I hear ya on that one. I used to be stationed in Jax & my friends & I would take weekend trips to WDW at least twice a month. We got our WDW tickets cheap through the MWR office & would stay at the Orlando Navy base cheap also. Usually ended up at the 'old school' Pleasure Island the first night, then in the parks the next day. After about 2 years of this we started to dread the drive back.

The drive back is without question the worst part. I typically start getting glassy eyed about 40-50 miles south of J-ville. The rest stops on the south and north side of St Augustine have saved my butt on more than one occasion.

 

[duff527]

Imagine working all day and then jumping in the car and shooting over to WDW to grab a bite to eat and catch the fireworks.

That would be awesome! Most impulsive trip I ever made was about a month before. I was there in early March last year, and then about a month later, my girlfriend found out she had to go to Orlando on a Thursday night for one day of training. We decided to make a long weekend in Disney out of it, so we made plans and I flew down to meet her on Friday afternoon.

 

[stargrl33]

I hope to one day have enough money to do this (or at least a low balance on my credit card so I don't feel bad about charging.) I would love to surprise someone with a trip too, like one of my friends.

 

[JML42691]

No spur of the moment trips for my family, I'm one of 6 kids and finding any time to pull a spur-of-the-moment trip would be borderline impossible. Most of our trips are planned out well in advance (we're planning our next one now, 11 months out). The closest trip we've done from deciding-to-going was this past trip 2 weeks ago where we planned it 3-4 months out, but we've never done anything closer than that.

 

[goofykt]

I've told this story before on here, but we took a spur of the moment trip back in Aug/Sept of 2008. We decided a week in advance!

The DH and I were both about to start new jobs and had some limbo time in between (so we wouldn't have to use any vacation time!), plus we had two Southwest Rewards vouchers, so I smooth-talked him into an impromptu Disney vacation. We were only supposed to be there for a 4-day weekend, but Gustav hit right after we arrived and we couldn't fly back home for a week, so we ended up being "stranded" there for a total of 11 days. We had to switch to a value resort to compensate for the unexpected costs, but Disney was really awesome and knocked our room down to $39.99 a night! We were at All Star Sports, and apparently there were a ton of little league football teams from the Gulf area staying there, so resort management gave a huge break to everyone that couldn't fly home.

THREE CHEERS FOR DISNEY! :sohappy:

My husband and I never had a honeymoon, and that was our first big trip with just the two of us, so we had the best time!!! Probably one of my favorite memories ever.

 

[LoriMistress]

That's awesome. I would love to do a spur of the moment trip, but don't have the cash or the time to do that.