Pre-Trip Treat Yo Self! (...within reason)

So I did a thing today and started making my next trip official. As a long time lurker on this site and recent fan of reading trip reports I have decided to chronicle my trip. This will be my first solo trip and it may be a bit of a secret trip (more to follow later). Since I won't be able to share my excitement with family/friends, I thought that I would share it with you all.

I'm a Xennial-aged lady hailing( ) from the Mid West. This upcoming trip will be my 8th to WDW. There's a couple of reasons for this trip (as if you really need a reason) but the main one is a celebration. A celebration of being done paying off my student loans. Barring some unforeseen disaster I should be done the same month as the trip. The total amount was pretty substantial (like 6 figures) and doesn't include the Master's degree that I bankrolled for my DH during the same time frame.

I wanted to use some of my soon-to-be reallocated disposal income on something frivolous and something very me-centric. WDW seems like a perfect match. The thread title is my trip motto: Treat yo self! (...within reason). Not 'staying in Polynesian bungalow' sort of treat yo self, but more so the 'paying the extra $40 to not fly Spirit' sort.

T-minus 150 days.

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

I got an email from Spirit about changes to my flight plans

Now arrival flight:
leaves 5 minutes earlier but arrives to MCO 7 minutes after the original time.

Oh well. Just glad it wasn’t an extreme change.

So basically this is Spirit:

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

This week I made my antepenultimate student loan payment (and DH taught me a new $5 word).

I’m now less than a month away from being done. You could say it’s the final countdown... *cues music*

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

Today I’m 50 days out! The trip is starting to feel more tangible now.

The only trip thing I’ve done lately is to pay to pick plane seats. I wasn’t going to originally because I’m thrifty but then I realized it was more than worth it to settle some travel anxiety. (And also because TYS!)

I am immunosuppressed due to a medication so flying tends to skeeve me out. Especially during flu season. I figured paying for a window seat near the front will hopefully decrease my contact with potential sickies.

This might not be much more useful than my normal plane precautions but it kind of just makes me feel better to feel like I’m doing something.

 

[krisri18]

Today I’m 50 days out! The trip is starting to feel more tangible now.

The only trip thing I’ve done lately is to pay to pick plane seats. I wasn’t going to originally because I’m thrifty but then I realized it was more than worth it to settle some travel anxiety. (And also because TYS!)

I am immunosuppressed due to a medication so flying tends to skeeve me out. Especially during flu season. I figured paying for a window seat near the front will hopefully decrease my contact with potential sickies.

This might not be much more useful than my normal plane precautions but it kind of just makes me feel better to feel like I’m doing something.

Can you take emergen-c or Airborne? I find that helps. Not to mention I'm a germaphobe who travels with Purell wipes and basically wipes down my entire seating area on the plane: tray table, armrests, seat belt, etc

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

Can you take emergen-c or Airborne? I find that helps. Not to mention I'm a germaphobe who travels with Purell wipes and basically wipes down my entire seating area on the plane: tray table, armrests, seat belt, etc

For sure. Purell, Clorox wipes and a face mask are my standard airplane precautions. I tend to stick more so with plain vitamin c supplements. I haven’t seen convincing data on the herbal parts to Airborne but that’s not to say I haven’t used in the past.

 

[krisri18]

For sure. Purell, Clorox wipes and a face mask are my standard airplane precautions. I tend to stick more so with plain vitamin c supplements. I haven’t seen convincing data on the herbal parts to Airborne but that’s not to say I haven’t used in the past.

I've had better luck with Emergen-c than Airborne, but I know others who swear by it. Gotta do what works for you!

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

I made make penultimate loan payment this week and remarked to DH how little I had left to pay.

DH: Why don’t you just pay it off now?

BES: Now? Like today?!?

DH: Yeah. Today. Then you’ll start 2019 loan free.

BES: I don’t know...It’s about principle of it. (Since they’re my loans I’ve been making the payments based on my extra shifts, etc and not communal funds)

DH: Well at this point it’s about the interest of it.

Touché. (Although the total is so low now that the interest is negligible) DH didn’t have to twist my arm too much. The final payment has been submitted.

So once that final payment processes I will be rid of my student loans.

My goal was to pay them off in less time than it took me to acquire them. Mission accomplished.

Also- 39 days!

 

[ELeigh]

Congrats!

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

Today I commissioned DH to make me a trip playlist. He was thrilled. He has been making mix CDs for me since we were in high school.

The only stipulation that I gave him was that it couldn’t be longer than the actual length of my trip.

As I left for work this afternoon he wanted to make sure that I didn’t take the Ice Cube CD on the counter with me. “You know- for the playlist!”

What did I get myself into?

Also Happy New Year to all!

 

[MickeyCB]

Enjoying following your pre-trip report, and big time congratulations on paying off the school loans! That must be a super feeling to be done with them now.

 

[mimitchi33]

One of my least favorite things about current Disney is the amount of pre-planning. My ideal travel style is to pick just a few things I really want to do and then just wing the rest. Now I feel like I’m getting forced into making more definite plans.

I’m going to book a tour or two this trip which is making me decide where I’ll be each day a little sooner than I would like.

Someone fuzzy was none too pleased with my planning session this morning:

View attachment 319375

“Human! The only thing you need to schedule right now is tummy rubs.”

View attachment 319376

Your puppy is cute! Can't wait to see your trip report!

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

Enjoying following your pre-trip report, and big time congratulations on paying off the school loans! That must be a super feeling to be done with them now.

Thanks for reading along. It’s definitely a big relief to finally be done with the loans. It hasn’t fully set in yet though. Perhaps after a paycheck or two it’ll feel more real.

Your
puppy is cute! Can't wait to see your trip report!

Thanks! I think she’s pretty cute too and she’s got a zesty personality as well. This is her “helping” at Christmas:

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

Oh dear readers. I’ve done a naughty thing.

I switched the first part of my stay back from CSR to POP.

Initially I was excited to check out a new resort but as the trip has gotten closer I started to question if novel necessarily equaled better.

It was a good deal for CSR but for features/amenities I don’t need for this particular trip. I would rather use that money to treat myself some other way. ()

CSR sounds and looks lovely but perhaps it would be best for a trip with DH and not a solo venture.

The new POP room is preferred so I’m looking forward to having something guaranteed to be a little more centrally located. Also looking forward to visiting AoA’s cafeteria. (Breakfast sammie on naan? Yes please)

But BES, why were you even looking at room prices this week?

Well...

Go on. Did you in fact do multiple naughty things?

Well... More details to follow-perhaps in another pre-trip report.

32 days... and perhaps 127-ish days.

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

My parents are planning a May 2019 Disney trip and really want me and DH to come along.

Nothing has been finalized yet but it’s likely a go for me. (DH doesn’t have the interest or vacation time availability.)

DH was quick to point out what you are all likely thinking right now. Yep. This is the very same family I mentioned in my initial posts. The ones who stressed me out last trip. The very same family who doesn’t know about my Feb. trip.

I have reason to believe it will be less stressful than last trip. Maybe. Hopefully? (And don’t want my little bro to have to go it alone.)

If the May trip happens it would make financial sense to upgrade to an AP during my Feb trip.

If I do that, I will likely have to come clean about the solo trip.

The DL price increases further complicate things. It’s a matter of when not if the WDW price increases are coming. I can’t upgrade until I’m onsite.

Just a lot of variables at this point. And 29 days for sure. Maybe also 124.

That was too much text. Allow to me let doggo show off her haircut and Christmas present:

(P.S. She has four legs- but just stands like a weirdo sometimes)

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

My magic band arrived this weekend!

Soon after I removed the gray part to make the band smaller and... I immediately regretted it.

The rip wasn’t clean and I was left with patches of vestigial gray.

After much sanding with a nail file it is now acceptable. It’s not bad enough for me to buy a new band but not great. I am still considering digging up an old band and changing out pucks.

3 weeks from now I should be on a plane. (Likely waiting for the wings to be de-iced)

Starting to mentally build a list of things I want to do or not do on this trip. Perhaps I will jot them down and check afterwards what I actually stuck to. To start:

1. No hamburgers.

 

[Swissmiss]

My magic band arrived this weekend!

Soon after I removed the gray part to make the band smaller and... I immediately regretted it.

The rip wasn’t clean and I was left with patches of vestigial gray.

View attachment 340901After much sanding with a nail file it is now acceptable. It’s not bad enough for me to buy a new band but not great. I am still considering digging up an old band and changing out pucks.

3 weeks from now I should be on a plane. (Likely waiting for the wings to be de-iced)

Starting to mentally build a list of things I want to do or not do on this trip. Perhaps I will jot them down and check afterwards what I actually stuck to. To start:

1. No hamburgers.

I have that same picture in my office - the person who sent it to me captioned it “Monday morning face” (or she found it captioned that way).

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

20 days out. Tonight I realized that before my trip I have:

• 13 work days (14 shifts)
• 3 days of out of state travel to visit the in-laws
• 3 ‘free’ days (with plans on each of them already in addition to prepping for the trips)

Additionally, the 10 day forecast is predicting some days with highs in the single digits and a total of 16” of snow.

Due to all of the above I present you with the next trip rule:

2. One adult drink per day. Minimum.

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

18 days!

This week DH asked if I wanted him to add the playlists he made to my phone.

BES: Playlists? Plural?

DH: Yeah. I made you seven.

BES: Seven?!? I’m only going to be gone for 6 days...

Trip Rule:
3. Try a rope drop (likely at MK)

 

[joshsprincess921]

Congrats on paying off your student loans!! That has to be such a good feeling! I look forward to paying mine off....someday....

Excited to hear how your trip goes. I want to do a solo trip one day.
Still trying to convince my husband why I would want to go to WDW by myself.

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

It's finally happened folks. My family now knows about my solo trip. Who ratted me out? A mouse. *The* mouse in fact.

Yep. My Disney Experience. Last week we booked rooms for the family May trip and in addition to being able to see the shared plans for May they can see everything for my solo trip as well. Oops.

So how did the reveal work out? Am I typing this from beyond the grave? Stay tuned. I want to back up a bit.

We were having issues getting the standard rooms at POP for May and then I realized it was just the initial night that didn't have availability so I had an idea... a wonderfully magical idea. I told the 'rents to book their room for the other nights of the trip and I would do the same. I told them to just trust me for the first night. For the first night I booked us all a 1 bedroom villa at AKL Jambo House.

I knew they would see it on MDE eventually but thought I had more time to tell them. I did not know they could see my February plans though.

Daddy-o: So that's quite the surprise for the trip. Well two surprises!

BES: Huh?

Daddy-o: That is quite the room you booked. I can't believe it! And you're finally doing that solo trip?!? Good for you!

Crisis averted. Both 'rents seemed pleased with the solo trip. (And understanding as to why I kept quiet, probably because they now have the May trip to look forward to themselves). They are even more pleased with the night at AKL.

All is well. 17 and 112 days.


Trip Rule:
4. Must try a Dole Whip.