Trip Report The “No Trip” Trip Report *COMPLETED*

There are pre-trip reports.

There are trip reports.

I’d like to welcome you to what I believe might be the first “No Trip” trip report.

My name is Tuvalu. Ok, that’s not my real name (it’s not “Shirley” either ) but it’s how I’m known here on WDWMagic. For the past six years I have contributed a lot of trip reports in this forum. A lot! Along the way I have met so many wonderful people and made new friends, some of whom I have had the privilege of meeting in person. Honestly the reason why I write is for you, the reader, because I cherish our interactions. (Getting to re-live my trip is just a bonus!)

My husband Woody, my daughter Em and I were supposed to be leaving for our Spring Break trip to WDW tomorrow. Of course we are sad we cannot go (and our doing our part to keep ourselves and others safe) but remain confident we WILL get to go back sometime in the future.

I had been contemplating going “live” for our trip. Woody and Em are not fans of my reporting “live” since my attention is diverted from enjoying vacation with them. However this idea for a “No Trip” trip report came straight from Woody himself!

So for the next week, if you‘d like to Journey into My Imagination and read about what could have been, I’ll be here.

 

[epcotisbest]

My name is Tuvalu. Ok, that’s not my real name (it’s not “Shirley” either )

I've been guessing "Edna," Don't know why, you just look like an Edna. (But not Edna Mode.)
Our spring trip was to Captiva Island in a few weeks, but that is not going to happen, so I was thinking about going over to Lowes and getting a bag or two of sand and spreading it on the driveway so we could walk in the sand. Might put some island music on and look for a lost shaker of salt too, but something tells me no one wants to read about that.
Looking forward to your no trip trip report.

 

[Nunu]

This makes me SO happy!

Hearing from you, specially in times like these, feels like getting sprinkled with much needed Pixie Dust!

 

[Disstevefan1]

Yay! Even in self isolation, I have washed my hands and I have my bagel, diet soda and my beautiful plastic straw, and am ready to read your excellent no trip, trip report!

 

[TheMouseFan]

I'm in! Can't wait to see what you have in store for us!

 

[tonystark]

I hope we get to go on haunted mansion.....

 

[pkkurz]

I can’t wait to see what ADR you have and what creative meals you will be sharing with us.

 

[Tuvalu]

BACKGROUND

I’ve been making regular pilgrimages to WDW since I was 11 years old. I introduced Woody to the MK while we were dating and on our honeymoon we experienced Epcot for the first time. Our firstborn son’s initial visit was at 13 months; #2 son at 2 years; and little miss Em at 18 months. So yes, we’ve done the stroller thing. Our family Disney vacations were dictated by the school calendar ~ summers and holiday breaks ~ and Woody and I looked forward to the day when we could visit WDW with our adult children during less busy periods.

Then Em became a teacher.

But over the last several years crowd patterns have changed and summers aren’t so crazy anymore. We don’t mind the heat and have had some fantastic trips with Em. Spring breaks have been a different story, especially when Easter falls at the beginning or end of vacation week. Like this year.

Knowing that Disney rarely discounts rooms during the peak Easter week, I decided to pursue something I’d never done before ~ rent DVC points. I’d read many testimonials on this site praising the ease and savings of hundreds (in a few cases thousands) of dollars. I contacted David’s Vacation Club Rentals and submitted my request for 6 nights (studio villa) at Wilderness Lodge. And waited....and waited.

Long story short, the best I could get was 5 nights. I signed the contract, paid the non-refundable cost in full (required), sat back and thought:

I vowed not to check any future discounts that might appear for our travel dates. We were committed to our points rental. I did really well until I saw that AP discounts had dropped. I reasoned I could add a night before our villa stay began. WL was available and for the convenience of not having to switch resorts, I booked it.

So how much did we save by renting points? Using the AP rate I got for a regular, non-DVC room (which includes daily housekeeping), point rental saved us $12/night. Point rental also exempted us from paying the $25/day parking fee, so savings was actually $37/night.

$37 x 5 nights = $185 total savings....but no daily housekeeping.

For us, daily housekeeping is an essential part of our vacation. However we were willing to forgo it considering “all” the money we’d be saving. To be fair, if we had to pay rack rate for our WL room, point rental would have saved us considerably more money. Yet the only time we’ve ever paid rack rate was Easter week ~ which is why I considered renting points in the first place.

Of course all this is now a....

Disney refunded our first night’s stay. David’s is working on some sort of travel voucher for guests impacted by WDW’s closure (details are several weeks away according to the email I received), so we may get to experience a DVC rental after all.

Meanwhile we’re ready to begin our Spring Break Fantasy in the morning!

See ya real soon!

 

[PacNWTigger]

You have once again piqued my curiosity with a "no trip" TR. I'm definitely along for the fun too!

 

[Tuvalu]

First!! I'd love to come along for the ride!! Great idea!!

First!!!!!! I can’t wait to hear all it lol. And also sad for you that it didn’t work out!

@riverside bahaha ok I’ll take second. I’m clearly slower at typing!
kelly

I say we're tied for first!! Look at the times of our posts--they had to have been within seconds of each other b/c sometimes it shows them to be the same & then it will show a minute apart. To be totally honest I wanted to say a few more things but I wanted to jump in first so I didn't. I know, I sound like a spoiled brat but these days you have to look for the little things in life to make you happy!!

Phew! I'm glad you two found a resolution.

 

[Tuvalu]

I'm SO in!!

I'm in!

I’m in! Great idea

All in! Love this idea!

I’m in too!

I'm in, sounds fun!

Yay!!! I’m in for this new Tuvalu trip report adventure! ❤

I'm in! Can't wait to see what you have in store for us!

A great big Hey Howdy Hey! to you "innies"!

 

[Ella's Mommy]

So excited for this!! You are awesome for doing this during such a trying time! I just finished reading your last trip report which I managed to stretch out for two weeks! LOL

 

[Tuvalu]

Love your (or Woody’s) idea to do this one! I’m in

I'm right here...………..ready for the first non trip trip report

Love it!!! Can't think of any better way to spend my days at home than with a Tuvalu report - what a great idea!

Woody get all the credit for this idea. (As well as the MPB, MPB 2.0, Tuvalu cards, and the Magicians spousal support group. I can't remember the rest! )

 

[LisaBelle]

Hooray! This is so exciting! I will be following along. So happy that tomorrow is Saturday. No remote learning tomorrow so I will be able to follow along more easily!

 

[Tuvalu]

Thanks in advance for giving me something to read on my lunch breaks other than the news.

Woody's mantra is No news is good news. There doesn't seem to be much good news these days, so I am happy to provide a distraction during your lunch break.

Will be a lovely break from working from home and being in lockdown in the UK. Looking forward to it.

It means so much to know I have friends across the pond.

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

View attachment 460611

So glad your reaction wasn’t.....

 

[Santa Raccoon 77]

Spoiler: Sorry I'm late. I had to get snacks for everyone 😁

 

[Santa Raccoon 77]

I've been guessing "Edna," Don't know why, you just look like an Edna. (But not Edna Mode.)
Our spring trip was to Captiva Island in a few weeks, but that is not going to happen, so I was thinking about going over to Lowes and getting a bag or two of sand and spreading it on the driveway so we could walk in the sand. Might put some island music on and look for a lost shaker of salt too, but something tells me no one wants to read about that.
Looking forward to your no trip trip report.

Will try and get to my closest beach and grab a photo for you in the next day or two sir

 

[Tuvalu]

I cancelled our June trip this morning, so this really brightened my day!

for the trip cancellation. Did you reschedule?

I hope we get to go on haunted mansion.....

I can’t wait to see what ADR you have and what creative meals you will be sharing with us.

We're gonna try.....

You have once again piqued my curiosity with a "no trip" TR. I'm definitely along for the fun too!

It’ll be a trip, that’s for sure!

 

[PacNWTigger]

I just rescheduled our April trip for September this morning. I was amazed at how easy the CM's made the whole thing. A shout out to Hamlin who helped not only switch dates, but got me a better deal with my first ever dining plan AND I'm getting $100 back out of it too.

 

[Tuvalu]

I've been guessing "Edna," Don't know why, you just look like an Edna. (But not Edna Mode.)
Our spring trip was to Captiva Island in a few weeks, but that is not going to happen, so I was thinking about going over to Lowes and getting a bag or two of sand and spreading it on the driveway so we could walk in the sand. Might put some island music on and look for a lost shaker of salt too, but something tells me no one wants to read about that.
Looking forward to your no trip trip report.

Not Edna. Definitely NOT Edna.
And I’d read about your mock beach day, Jimmy! (But I see @Mr Ferret 88 has you covered!)

So excited for this!! You are awesome for doing this during such a trying time! I just finished reading your last trip report which I managed to stretch out for two weeks! LOL

I managed to stretch out writing it for two months.
Happy to have you here!

Hooray! This is so exciting! I will be following along. So happy that tomorrow is Saturday. No remote learning tomorrow so I will be able to follow along more easily!

< Clears throat > Ahem, isn’t there something else you need to be working on?

 

[Tuvalu]

This makes me SO happy!
Hearing from you, specially on times like these, feels like getting sprinkled with much needed Pixie Dust!

Hello my friend! I wish we could have met up in May ~ I was gonna bring you my FARTS AP magnet to hang on your fridge.

Yay! Even in self isolation, I have washed my hands and I have my bagel, diet soda and my beautiful plastic straw, and am ready to read your excellent no trip, trip report!

Proud of you for taking precautionary measures.

I just rescheduled our April trip for September this morning. I was amazed at how easy the CM's made the whole thing. A shout out to Hamlin who helped not only switch dates, but got me a better deal with my first ever dining plan AND I'm getting $100 back out of it too.

Wonderful!